Stopped by on a whim yesterday since we happened to be in the area. I've been meaning to try Daimanya since there are frequent social media posts from the diners here. We were the first people at the restaurant right when they opened at 4:30 PM. As a nice bonus, it turned out to be happy hour. The current happy hour promotion is $10 off the standard menu price per person if you either vacate your table before 7 PM or start dining after 9 PM. The inside of the restaurant is pretty small so reservations are recommended, especially during prime time. Since most of the tables were reserved when we showed up, we ended up sitting at the sushi bar. The parking lot right out front is small as well; it was almost full even before the dinner rush when we left. Daimanya is an AYCE restaurant, and there was only one pricing level, unlike some other AYCE places that have upgraded menu selections if you pay for a higher tier. During our visit, almost all of the menu selections were unlimited except for the signature dish category (A5 wagyu sukiyaki / fried lobster), which were limited to one selection in this category per person. There is a fairly large variety of dishes on the menu to choose from, and due to the sheer number of items that can be ordered quickly by multiple tables, the dishes can be very hit or miss, similar to other AYCE restaurants (or any restaurant in a general sense, for that matter). It was difficult for me to evaluate all of the food as a whole with one general consensus because unlike some other AYCE restaurants where the overall quality is easy to discern, some dishes at Daimanya were really good and others were subpar. I feel that being an AYCE restaurant with the big draw usually being value for money spent, this factor should be taken into consideration when evaluating the food at these types of restaurants since they rarely compare to standard restaurants' dishes of the same type. But even comparing the overall quality of the dishes to each other solely within Daimanya's scope, there was quite a variance between them. As an example, for the fried food choices, the fried chicken skin dish was outstanding; it was light and crispy, fried oh-so-well with the perfect amount of seasoning. The garlic spareribs were also very good (technically in the stir-fried category, but crispy to the point they seemed deep-fried... almost like an Asian version of the dry rub riblet appetizer found in many Western restaurants such as Cactus Club, Earl's, etc.). However, the other fried items like chicken karaage, chicken wings, oysters, and scallops were nothing to write home about. They weren't bad, but we didn't feel they warranted a second order. Other standouts for our meal included the ankimo (monkfish liver), black pepper diced beef (tender cubes of steak), corn butter yaki (a bit dry due to the cooking process but very flavourful), sake butter clams (the clams were small but delicious), steamed abalone with garlic, and the donburi options (unagi / chirashi). I also enjoyed certain selections of fish from the aburi / nigiri / sashimi choices. Something else I appreciated was that the sushi rolls could be ordered in small portions of two pieces, which allows diners to try the rolls without becoming overly full on one large roll (compared to other places that only allow minimum orders of four pieces or more). I also liked that Daimanya didn't give an excessive amount of rice with the donburi and nigiri selections, which shows they weren't trying to fill customers' tummies with rice in a surreptitious manner that some AYCE restaurants do. So although I enjoyed most of the food overall, what really made our first visit here memorable and worthy of 5-stars was the service. Everyone was friendly and attentive, but our main server (who also seated us) was exceptional. She reminded us of a heroine in an anime (tall with really cool glasses); she was so helpful with our orders... super nice too! Hands down the best service I've had in a very long time. It was a great first experience... hoping follow-up visits will be the same! read more

3.5 stars I came here with a friend to try the $39 Dine Out menu; it definitely came with a lot of variety and was filling! From sashimi, rolls, choice of tempura, choice between different rice dishes, and choice between appetizers like foie gras / mackerel, seafood tartare / tuna or beef tataki, a lot to try for sure. Unfortunately the appetizers didn't really wow me in terms of flavour and the venue was smaller than anticipated though the rolls and sashimi were alright. The strawberry ice cream mochi at the end were a nice way to end off the many courses though :) read more

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Another gem stuck with a messy parking lot haha - but that shouldn't stop you from giving this a try. There is tons of Hot dish options and sushi rolls, but the sashimi will steal the show. You will want to try to book in advance, or arrive early, as it does get busy pretty quickly. As much as I would like to give this place a 5 - there was definitely missed opportunities. 1) What you order isn't really what you end up receiving, experienced missed/shorted items multiple times, even on re-order. 2) There was some occasions where the fish color seemed pretty off, so they will want to manage that better. 3) Despite having plenty of staff, they are hard to wave down, even from a central table. Also, this place is pretty pricey - so you would expect near perfection - (IMO) Will probably re-visit, as the concept is good, but could be improved. read more

Daimanya - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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I came here after seeing a post about their Dine Out menu and was surprised by my experience. The restaurant offers all you can eat so they're used to having a lot of food coming out at once. As a result, I think the overall quality/taste of the food was only okay. However, they do pay attention to presentation so the food was plated very nicely. Service was quick and by the end of the 8 courses, my friend and I were so full! The restaurant was busy when we arrived and it isn't a big space so I recommend making a reservation! read more

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While visiting Vancouver, I had planned to visit this establishment for dinner given a video I watched on YouTube showing premium items included at a very reasonable price. I wish I hadn't eaten a late lunch because I could've done and serious damage! LOL. The lobster was perfectly cooked and paired well with the sauce. You are limited to one tail per person as of my last visit. The A5 was tasty but personally would prefer cooking over a grill instead of hot pot, but regardless it was very tasty, A lot of the menu is in Japanese, so I had to ask what the lone item on top of the others on the sashimi and nigiri section of the menu. The server simply said it's blue fin tuna, but it turned out to be chutoro! I wanted to order 10 more but was already stuffed. Lol All in all it's an excellent deal and there are a lot of items to choose from. Both cooked and raw. 5 stars well deserved and I hope to return again someday! read more

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There are many variety of food. The sashimi is fresh and I had a lot of the bluefin tuna. I rarely see aburi sushi in all you can eat! I love their special rolls too. Tuna & beef tataki are excellent. Also, the wagyu is in premium quality but the quantity is limited. For hot dishes, the clam, abalone, udon and chawanmushi are highly recommended. They have foie gras as well but I don't eat foie gras though... It looks really thick and my friends seemed like it pretty much and ordered again. We got so full but still haven't tried all of the items. The service and environment are so good! This place is really a hidden gem! read more

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Food quality: *5.0, Service: *5.0 Env: *5.0. I would like to give 10 stars for service & quality of food if i can My family and I visited my niece from Bay Area to Vancouver last week. My niece told me this restaurant is the only one which has "Japanese style buffet" in Richmond, super super delicious & very reasonable price with that kind of food quality We decide to give a try, it didn't be disappointed, i roughly check the menu, there are more than 70 items, including Bluefin tuna, Miyazaki A5 wagyu. The store manager, Will, is very friendly & the waiter/ waitress uis very smart. Highly recommend read more

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Everything was so good, fresh, quick service! Couldn't have asked for a better first meal in Canada read more

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It's a great concept for all sushi/seafood lovers but disappointing in terms of quality consistency. Daimanya (by Meet Oyster) is the premium ayce that offers endless indulgence in sashimi, sushi, wagyu, and more. I usually don't come to these types of places as I know I can't even come close to eating my money's worth but I was dining with 3 dudes so I felt like they could assist me. We came in on a Friday night for a 9:30pm reso (got pushed to 10pm as the table in front was delayed) and it cost $68 pre-tax/tip per head. The restaurant is a lot smaller than I imagined but it's decorated nicely with a slightly more upscale ambiance. The night started well, we were pleasantly surprised by some of the hot food such as the takoyaki, baked oysters/scallops, and wagyu hotpot (limited to one per table). The sashimi and sushi were okay quality at best but I completely understand this is a quantity over quality establishment. We also didn't get everything we ordered on the sheet, just a heads up to those who like to over-order (you'll be fine). However, what I really could not tolerate was the sight of the bluefin tuna sashimi. I have had many different qualities of bluefin in my life but never have I ever seen dark purple/brown bluefin. You cannot tell me this is servable food to a customer. The colour of the fish darkens when it has gone through oxidization and is no longer fresh. Most sashimi should be bright in colour and by no means do I expect fresh off the plane from Japan but the fact that the restaurant thought this was servable as bluefin tuna is pretty disheartening. Glancing at other reviews, I observed the tuna did not look like this so I'm glad they're not serving this consistently to diners. I sincerely hope management adjusts their food standards because they have a promising concept that can amass a lot of traffic but it's mistakes like these that can lead to a restaurant's downfall. read more

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Where do I even begin? Normally for an AYCE restaurant, you never expect the quality of the food to surpass an average subpar restaurant. And to top those expectations, this was a relatively new restaurant in the Richmond area (not enough reviews), and I don't even live in Canada! I was nervous about potentially disappointing our group of 12 for the last meal of our ski trip. My expectations were completely blown OUT of the waters. And the rest of the group thought the exact same. Everything tasted fresh, high quality, and cooked to perfection. The Sukiyaki that came with A5 Miyazaki Wagyu (which looked BEAUTIFUL) had a perfectly balanced flavored broth, and the meat just melted in your mouth. Grilled lobsters were incredibly fresh and HUGE. But not as big as the Oysters, which were the size of my entire hand. There were so many items on the menu that we tried to order a bit of everything and ended up overcrowding the table. The sashimi didn't have a hint of fishiness. The foie gras was something you usually only find at a fine dining restaurant, but we were able to order as much as we wanted. Karaage, soft shell crab, shrimp tempura, all freshly deep fried and serve piping hot and extra crispy. I'm not even sure I tried everything that was on the table before I had to call it quits from eating too much lol. And let's not forget the incredibly friendly owner and staff that made this experience that much more enjoyable. #345 read more

Nothing care and please to serve you like in this video I wasted there yesterday I'm the first family in restaurant they bring me food like I'm there to ask them free food and I pay 78$x4= 312$ for my family First round, I ordered and my order didn't come everything the last five order in there didn't come and they said now is second round ????? I asked them second but FIRST ORDERED 5 order in there didn't come yet I was so pissed off Don't surprise everything in this video because he promote their Restaurant that why they bring him biggest size .. I wasted there yesterday everything in the restaurant smaller side nothing like in this video at all fingers down lol read more

All you can eat restaurant that is on the pricier end at $88 for weekends and public holidays, but has delicious premium dishes and ingredients that you would not usually find at other all you can eat places. Sashimi is served on ice and tastes very fresh, and there are a multitude of dishes. Service was excellent, with the manager being more than accommodating in helping to reimburse parking when we did not know there was available parking. There is also a birthday deal, although it does have to be on the exact date of your birthday to have 1 person eat free when eating with at least 4 others. Overall, would definitely recommend if you are willing to splurge a little bit to enjoy a large amount of premium ingredients. read more

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Great food and service with plenty of variety and freshness Ambiance is just right for gathering read more

This was formally Meet Oyster a few weeks ago and now there is a rebranding from an oyster bar to a Japanese izakaya concept all you can eat format. We managed to get a table over the weekend. I highly recommend making reservations as the restaurant was packed during peak dinner hours. The food selection was great. I thought it was reasonable priced at $88 a person for the amount of seafood and meat options. Their A5 Wagyu sukiyaki was very tasty and deserved a second round. We also really enjoyed their lobster and different motoyaki options. The oysters were plump and delicious. The enoki beef roll was another highlight with the tender beef. The sashimi was fresh without the fishy taste. Service was excellent. Staff explained how to order off the menu and were quick to clear plates and refill drinks. The cold food items arrived the fastest. There was a bit of a lag on the hot food items. The kitchen was behind on the hot food orders as the restaurant was packed so I hope they will be able to improve on that experience once the restaurant is more established. We did follow up with staff and they promptly followed up with the kitchen. Ambiance was nice. Looked like they kept the original posh upscale feel. The restaurant is in the smaller side so seating is limited. Definitely a nice place to enjoy a meal. There is a 2 hour dining time limit that was not strictly enforced at this time read more

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Best value for AYCE Japanese food .. lots of variety to choose from .. everything are very tasty and delicious . Must make reservations or long waitlist .Happy Hour price starts at 9:00pm read more

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Service was great, but the food quality was subpar. Certain dishes were good, like the fried chicken and baked oysters, but the other meat dishes were overcooked and overly seasoned. Sashimi orders are heavily throttled. Ice crystals were still in the sashimi. In our group of five, we had a long rectangular booth, with no seats on one of the long sides....so some of us had to stand to reach the food in the middle. I don't mind the expensive price...but the quality just didn't match up to it. read more