Nikkei Ramen-ya 565…read moreEngland Ave Courtenay, BC V9N 2N2 (250) 897-4700 Open 7 days a week from 11.30am - 8pm except for Friday & Saturday (closes at 9pm) Street parking available around the restaurant It began on a sunny October day in 2016. Inspired by the shops of Vancouver, LA, and Tokyo, and driven by their love of noodles, Greg and Erin Masuda served the first bowl of authentic, scratch-made ramen that Vancouver Island had ever seen. Six years and 40 flavours later, Nikkei Ramen-ya still bustles; if you can't make it to our shop in Downtown Courtenay, you can now find our ramen at your local Vancouver Island grocer. From silky Tonkotsu to vegan-friendly options and crisp karaage chicken, we've got something for every craving. Gluten-free options are available Our review- We met a friend for dinner, we went early at about 4.30pm, it wasn't crowded yet. Ordered our ramen on an electronic kiosk menu board... By the electronic menu board, there are table # stand. Chose a number & put the number that you chose onto your order as identification. Then place the number stand on your table. The noodles were very good, nice soup broth... we enjoyed the noodles very much, we also added a side dish of green beans, dressing on the beans was like the Japanese spinach (Gomae). Beans was crunchy & with that dressing, it was yummy. Overall a very good experience, do check it out if you are in downtown Courtney. You will not be disappointed ! Place was clean with decent seats Come after lunch or before dinner, the place was crowded during dinner time.

I give this founder the props to open up a fresh ramen noodle shop here. Fresh ramen made next…read moredoor during the day. I didn't care too much for the broth (definitely a lot of umani flavor for the dashi) as it wasn't a type of broth i was use to. It wasn't bad but just not my style. The noodles were good. The bamboo shoot was different too but tasted a bit sweet? The pork belly was too thin in my opinion. I'm use to a more fatty pork belly. Soy sauce marinated egg is extra but we gave it a try. You can get "free" extra ramen if you do a review for them. Just scan QR code on the table. You order at the kiosk and pick up your own bowl of ramen. No tip asked.

Some of the best Ramen we've had in a long time. The Tonkotsu Black Ramen is so rich and…read moreflavourful, definitely worth a try. Pro tip ... park in the back ...the front street parking is a bit tight. Check the hours ... you won't wanna rush in/out.

The pictures don't really do it justice. The flavours of the soups were amazing and we actually…read morefinished it all. Usually at other places I find the soup gets too salty and we just can't finish it after the noodles are gone. Not here, not a drop was wasted. Will definitely be back.

Great service even though short staffed. FYI you fill in a checklist for what you want to order…read more Great quality and unique selections for special rolls. More gluten free options than normal (eg gyoza). Generous portions.

Stopped in here after a nice, healthy walk on the Wild Pacific trail to check out the lighthouse…read moreand it was a perfect spot to stop in. The place was clean, there were plenty of seats, the restrooms were clean. Service was super-friendly and fast. I ordered a hot tea which was perfectly soothing after a cold day out hiking. Our party ordered a bunch of rolls, their stuffed mushrooms, spicy garlic edamame, a teriyaki chicken bento box, and spicy Korean ramen. All of their foods were very delicious. The mushrooms were PIPING hot but SO DELICIOUS. I still think about those mushrooms and it's been about 4 days now... The spicy edamame were indeed spicy. Very flavorful and spicy. The spicy ramen, I'm told, was not spicy after asking for it to be toned down a bit. Guess it was toned down more than just a bit. Flavor was still good, though. We were very happy with all the foods, the comfort, and the service. Great restaurant and I would highly recommend this place if you're looking for quality sushi in Ucluelet!

Very ,very disappointed, waited an hour, tasteless broth, one tiny blob of pork that was mostly…read morefat, we were excited to try but we won't recommend or go back. Total waste of money

Stopped by for a late lunch/early dinner and was surprised they had quite a few people inside…read more There's actually quite a bit of seating. With booths for two and tables for larger groups. We were seated after a short wait, as there was only one server. They were friendly and attentive. They have quite a bit of ramen options ranging from tonkotsu to curry ramen. I went with the basic tonkotsu ramen and added an egg. I wanted to be able to taste the broth without anything extra. My aunt got their seafood ramen (Nagasaki champon). I was quite surprised by the portion and toppings for each. There was plenty of noodles. The pieces of pork were large and I liked the variety of toppings. The seafood one had soooo much seafood ( small shrimp, larger ones, squid, and mussels) and had plenty of veggies. Both ramens were quite filling. Typically I don't drink all the ramen broth due to it being too salty or rich, but I found their broth had just the right balance. It was flavourful and rich, but not overly in either. Although at first I thought the price was a bit high, the quality and quantity justify it. Overall, it was a great meal to end our day on the island. I'll definitely be a returning customer.

We finally had to find out what all the hype was about!…read more We kept seeing this Japanese restaurant get top ratings and heard it was really popular in Nanaimo, so we decided to try it for ourselves. Was it actually worth all the hype? We ordered the Sora Omakase Sashimi (8 types, chef's choice) along with a few other special rolls, and the sashimi was the real star of the show. The fish was incredibly fresh and generously thick-cut, with a great variety of premium sashimi. We were impressed by the creativity, generous portions, and presentation. Compared to other sushi places we've tried in the city, the quality and attention to detail here really made a difference. The prices are a bit higher than some other restaurants on the island, but after tasting the food, we thought the quality made it worth it. If you love sashimi, we especially recommend trying their sashimi options. There are plenty of premium choices. The restaurant itself has a modern-chic atmosphere, and it was BUSY. We saw a mix of locals, visitors, and a steady stream of takeout orders. Despite the crowd, our food came out surprisingly quickly, and the quality stayed top-notch. Whether you want a casual sushi night for two or a place to celebrate with a group, the menu has enough variety to please everyone. We came in wondering if the hype was real, and left understanding exactly why it's so popular. Honestly, Nori deserves the 5 stars from us. We're not the Michelin Guide, but we can definitely see why people are talking about it. Food: 5/5 Must Try! Service: 5/5 Kids: 4/5 Presentation: 4/5 Parking: 3/5 Tips: * Reservations are highly recommended. * Walk-ins are accepted, but be prepared for a potentially long wait during busy times. * The menu is extensive, so take your time deciding. * Great option for everything from date night to group celebrations. Would I Return: Yes ‍

Our waitress was amazing the food was DELICIOUS!!! I would recommend this place to everybody. I ate…read morehere with my family, and we all loved it!

Was visiting the island over the weekend and came across this Korean restaurant that was highly…read morerated. It was definitely worth it! We booked a table online and were able to get seated right on time. It gets quite busy but the food was overall amazing! The matcha raspberry tart had a strong match flavour but I found it too sweet to finish. The kalguksu was my favourite dish of all.

The food are very good. We ordered several things to share, including Creamy Rose Tteokbokki,…read moreTruffle Japchae Noodle, Flaming So Galbi, Yangyum Glaze fried chicken as well as the Soy Garlic friend chicken. Some of the food is to the sweeter side, like the galbi and the yangyum chicken. But tteokbokki and japchae's flavour is on point. And highly recommend their makgeolli flight if you are rice wine lover.

Review: Nana Sushi, Nanaimo…read more Nestled in downtown Nanaimo, Nana Sushi is a cozy gem that serves up comforting Japanese fare with a friendly vibe. I stopped in for a casual meal and left feeling satisfied and warm--especially thanks to their standout udon. The broth was rich and flavorful, the noodles perfectly chewy, and the portion generous enough to make it a go-to comfort dish. While the sushi was solid, it's the udon that stole the show for me. Service was prompt and welcoming, and the atmosphere had a laid-back charm. It's not flashy, but it's the kind of place you return to when you want something reliably tasty and reasonably priced. Located at 14 Victoria Crescent, Nanaimo, BC (250) 591-0755 Visit their website Overall: Pretty good! I'd definitely come back--especially for the udon.

A small little hideaway in the centre of town…read more Small meaning seating for about 20 guest and not all together. It was good sushi and prompt but I also went when it wasn't too busy. The bento box was nice and sashimi was fresh and teriyaki tasty. Tempura crispy and hot. I nice restaurant if you are staying in town and you need to look for it as not on the main drag. Construction of the road should be better once it's done but a good little place for sushi in Nanaimo. Staff were friendly and courteous.

The bowls and soup were really high quality and tasted organic. The latte was great! I enjoyed the…read morewest coast bowl.

Ordered the west coast bowl which was very delicious and I appreciated that they support local…read morevendors and source organic whenever possible. It is situated in a very cute space and loved that it was dairy free with a creamy dressing. Good balance of veggies and rice made me feel very healthy with my meal choices :) My friends shared the grilled cheese and chicken sandwich and said both were very delicious, but the grilled cheese just barely edged out the chicken sandwich as the more delicious option. However, personally I think the sandwich portions seemed a bit small for my appetite and I would probably have needed to add a soup on the side to feel full. Order at the counter, grab a number and table and your food will be brought to you. Water is self serve and they also sell coffee beans to go.

Absolutely delicious sushi - the rice and fish were both so soft, fresh and well-seasoned. The…read moreservice was excellent and prompt and the chef and servers were polite, friendly and efficient. I've eaten a lot of sushi in my day, and Bistro Taiyo was by far one of the best!

Went here for dinner last week, the bistro is small but comfortable. We didn't have a reservation…read moreso we were invited to take two of the four seats at the "bar". No problem! We ordered 4 different rolls between us, tea, and a melon soda. Easily top 3 in the area, cemented by the fact that it's within walking distance from our house. This will be our new go-to for sushi. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was chill and welcoming.

The service was good but I dont recommend this place for anything else, food is not good and it…read morelooks like it needs more knowledgeable people in how to run a restaurant!

This was one of my favourite places to go when I was in town until today.. They have delicious…read morewings and today they were on the happy hour menu, you have to purchase a minimum of ten wings to get the offer. Unfortunately I can't eat that many, so I asked if I can order them and take the remainder home.. I was told absolutely NOT repeatedly.. I could understand them saying no if 1) I didn't order a drink (I would've ordered more if I got wings) 2) I didn't come here regularly (I come here a minimum of once per week and order off the regular menu) But to not even make an exception for me to bring home leftovers, that has turned me off this place, so today will be my last visit.