The atmosphere is super chill and nice here, perfect for a date night. I really enjoyed the specialty rolls. We ordered the pop corn roll which has deep fried scallops. This was delicious. The volcano was cool, as it came torched. It also comes with a lot of tuna sashimi, and I was impressed with this! The curry chicken katsu was quite dry so I would not recommend this dish. The chicken was very thin. read more

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Good place for sushi as the sashimi was fresh. They have a variety of different types of rolls so I'd recommend going with a group so that you can try the different ones. They have plenty of seating, the staff are friendly, and the place is clean. It is one of the better sushi/Japanese place in Victoria. read more

Very, very poor experience today.. nearly $700 for 5 adults, 2 teens and 2 children.. lengthy waits for food, which was understandable given the busy long weekend.. after receiving our mains, we discovered that the server had made an error with our order.. a simple apology would have sufficed but we were met with aggressive pressure to pay for the server's error. Unacceptable! read more

Their playing was very aesthetic and the quantities were generous! The takoyaki, cherry blossom roll, and salmon Oyako Gozen were amazing. read more

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First meal in Victoria and it did not disappoint. The side dishes are really great! I didnt finish the fish balls since I had too much to eat, so the serving size is quite generous. The tempura is also cooked nicely although it's soaked when it's served. I think it's better if there's like something that separates the tempura with the sauce at the bottom so it does not soak. The servers were friendly and attentive to your needs. So we're satisfied with it. read more

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Overall, interesting and fresh sushi - service v slow not due to the server but obviously short of staff. Some people waiting 20 min for bill. To the menu. Great sake list w reasonable prices. We had two rolls and sashimi. V generous portions and too much for 2. Toy Story and flaming eel were great. V dramatic presentation. Parking a pain. Either walk, Uber or use public parking. V popular so reservations a must. read more

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A local suggested we check this place out if we liked sushi and boy was I glad we did! You know how you can tell a good Japanese restaurant from a great one? The shoyu! THEY MAKE THEIR OWN SHOYU HERE! This ain't no Kikkoman or Yamasa and I could immediately tell from the first taste. Like a good wine, this had an aroma and aftertaste that you don't get with mass produced shoyu. It was so good by the end of the meal, we were all taking shots out of the shoyu dish. If the owners of Gozen read this: PLEASE SELL YOUR SHOYU BOTTLED FOR YOUR PATRONS! They also use akazu (red vinegar made from sake) instead of rice wine vinegar that adds a level of umami to their sushi rice that is clearly noticeable in a good way (the rice has a reddish pink hue to it). These two ingredients alone easily puts their food on a different level than any other Japanese restaurant. During this visit, I just wanted to savor the shoyu and ordered Zuke Tuna Don (no ponzu!) which was served on their sushi rice - clean, simple and delicious! My daughter is addicted to their Mango Paradise Roll which surprisingly, contains no fish! Kind of a weird combination of cream cheese, egg and other ingredients topped with mango that is refreshingly sweet yet sour! Rock n' Roll, R & B, and Popcorn Roll were the table favorite. As well as the Toy Story Roll, Magic Tuna Roll and assorted tempura - it was all delicious! The Unagi Flame Roll came en fuego - watch your eyebrows! We've been to Victoria twice now and both were 3 day adventures. Both trips the family chose to eat here 2 out of the 3 days! This place is my absolute favorite in Victoria. I'm sure there are other great restaurants in the area but we have yet to try them! If I lived here this easily would be my weekly go-to restaurant. read more

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Food was great! Two of us ordered the popcorn and Toy Story rolls. Service was not bad, but also not the greatest. Took a few minutes to be acknowledged and then one of our dishes was forgotten so we requested to cancel it. Giving 5 stars because I am feeling a little generous. read more

The food was tasty and the proper temperature. The service was excellent although getting the machine took longer than expected, but then we were in a hurry to get to a concert, and we should've stated at the beginning that we wanted the bill promptly at the end of eating. The shrimp dumplings were wonderful, and the spicy seafood noodle dish was just spicy enough. The Hakutsuku saki was excellent, but only served cold, but in beautiful little clear cups adorned with tiny Japanese flowers. It was easy to carry on a conversation as the music in the background was very low-key. Everyone around us seemed happy to be there as were the four of us eating together. I would definitely go back. read more

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Gozen is phenomenal! I've enjoyed eating at Gozen a few times now. The service is consistently top-notch and quick. The ambiance is usually great, and the sushi is always superb. Love their fresh sashimis as well. This spot comes highly recommended. This is without a doubt the best sushi restaurant I've ever had in Victoria! read more

Had dinner here with my dad. The portions are huge. We are used to ordering 2-3 rolls each at most places. My dad ordered the Lion King roll and couldn't even finish it. I had unagi don and it was delicious. Service was great. Highly recommend, just be careful not to over order! read more

All three stars are for the service, which was wonderful. Our server was energetic, super kind, kid friendly, and just all around lovely to have. The food though -- the best I can say is that it was bland and flavorless. Even the kids thought so. We wouldn't come back here, which is really a shame because it's a great location and again, great staff. read more

Prompt, polite and professional greeting and service. This is possibly the best Japanese restaurant I've been to, honestly. The sake list was long and reasonably priced. I had a miso soup, wakame salad and zuke tuna don. Everything was excellent, including the rice in the don which had a lovely umami flavour. The food was a tad pricey but well worth it. I will definitely return. read more

Excellent food and service. They way they handled a difficult table across from us was amazing. Well done,we will be back read more

Classy and modern setting, this izakaya has an amazing menu and delicious food! My family came in really hungry and although the prices are a bit higher, their dishes are all creatively done and nothing was too heavy or oversauced. We started with their chicken karaage, bacon wrapped scallops and the monkey brain which had crabmeat inside a fried avocado. This sounded extremely filling but overall, it was a tasty mix and a good starter. We also tried out their spicy tuna wrapped with baked salmon and a sashmi salad to satisfy my raw fish needs. Both very tasty but nothing too out of the ordinary. The two stand out dishes were the stone plate beef katsu and the nabeyaki udon. The beef katsu came to our table with a grill that we placed each piece of beef on until our desired doneness. The beef was very tender and flavourful and the gimmick of grilling it yourself was fun! The nabeyaki udon was perfect for a cold day in a large earthen pot, plenty of veggies, seafood and delicious broth to warm up anyone's stomach. Finally, the rolls we got were the rock n roll with California roll topped with Unagi and a roll that had prawn, spicy tuna and avocado topped with smoked salmon and tuna tataki. Both were great with a special rice that was not too thick all around and flavours that went beautifully together. Again, they were not oversauced and each bite was well enjoyed. Overall, a delicious place for Korean inspired Japanese dishes. Great service, great food and a great night out in Victoria! read more

Gozen offers delicious and appetizing special rolls, but falls short on flavour for its hot food. GYOZA ($6): These are 5 lightly pan-fried pork dumplings served with a dipping sauce. They were pretty plain and simple, but I still enjoyed them. TOY STORY ROLL ($16) and R&B ROLL ($18): Given that there are 8 pieces each, the prices for these rolls seem rather steep. With that said, the quality is there for both taste and presentation. Among other ingredients, each roll had a golden fried prawn tempura inside, with fresh salmon laid on top. If you like seared sushi and tuna, then go for Toy Story; if you prefer a sweeter sushi and unagi (eel), then go for R&B. Either way, you're in for a wonderful balance of textures and an overall phenomenal flavour profile. MENTAIKO KIMCHI YAKI UDON ($15): Since my friend can't tolerate spicy food, we requested for the kimchi to be on the side. The kimchi certainly adds a bold flavour (more sour than spicy) to the dish, and one that I think it needs to venture out of its bland territory. I appreciated the addition of nori (dried seaweed) and pea shoots since they offered more textural variety against the soft udon noodles. However, the small portion size left much to be desired. CHICKEN YAKISOBA ($13): My friend and I ordered this after seeing a fellow member of our party eat the udon version. In hindsight, I wish we hadn't since it was incredibly oily and salty. Moreover, the dish could've done with more noodles and less cabbage as we didn't have much to accompany our chicken. As far as service goes, I was a bit miffed because I accidentally tipped 15% on top of the 18% automatic gratuity for parties. When we asked if it could be refunded (since I paid by credit card) or reduced from a different bill, our server declined. To be fair, she told us that tip was included, but I apparently did not hear her. Had we gotten more service aside from having our dishes served/cleared, the additional tip would've felt more justified. In any case, I wish the situation had been handled better and that I had been more careful. read more

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A pleasant surprise! I came here twice - once by myself and another time with 10 people. They were very accommodating with reservations and on a quiet Sunday night it was the perfect small restaurant for a group dinner. Service is extremely attentive here, my water glass was never empty for more than a few minutes - and this is something that I was trained as a former server, so seeing this rule being followed makes me happy when I am dining as a customer. Their tapas are on the smaller side but you do get generous portions of what you pay for. Excellent nigiri especially the uni and toro. Nigiri orders are 2 pieces each. You also usually have to ration the salmon sashimi in a donburi so that you don't end up with just rice, but this small rice bowl was packed with huge chunks of salmon that I could eat it as freely as I wanted without worrying about running out. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Its really not even about the food the staff was extremely rude. Wont ever go back. I think this is my first 1 star

My top choices were out of toro or not open that day, so we ended up at Gozen. The food was so fresh and flavourful we went back for lunch the next day. Enjoyed a terrific Hawaiian Roll of spicy tuna with seared tuna and avocado on top, negitoro roll (the best one I've ever had), unagi and toro nigiri, wonton soup, tempura and agedashi tofu. All the sushi was plump and bursting with flavour but the wonton soup was a fail. The "wonton" was a chicken gyoza but the dough wasn't cooked all the way through, making it gummy. The broth was bland. Service was good both visits but the sushi was noticeably smaller and not quite as flavourful the second visit. The restaurant is very large and relaxing. read more

Everything was great. The staff was very nice and helpful but did seem a bit overwhelmed at times.

If you can't get into "that other sushi place in Victoria", you should not pass up a great meal at Gozen. We were in such a situation and we were delightfully surprised at the quality of the sushi. Beautiful presentation, delicious flavors, fresh fish, and great service. read more

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Sashimi plate is excellent, generous portions, and so fresh you can taste the natural sweetness. The service is friendly. I like the vibe of this place. read more

Went to Gozen sushi today for lunch. We had a great overall experience staff were nice food was really good and the food was high quality. Would definitely recommend. read more

always stellar! i ve been here 4 times in the last 2 yrs. Fantastic, this is chicken teriaki and some tuna. yum!!

This was my second visit, and both were really enjoyable. Great spot with lots of seating. We came here after Ebizo was booked up with a 30 minute wait, and at 6pm on a Saturday night were seated right away. No rezo needed. Ambience is dimly lit, nice music, and would make for a great date or girls night out. Staff was friendly and quick as well. Most importantly, the food was delicious. The server was helpful with making a few recommendations, and we went for the gomaee ($5, super small portion, which I guess is fairly expected for this dish anywhere), edamame ($4, large portion), I had the karaage don ($13), and my friend had the chicken teriyaki ($13). The karaage was the standout winner. Suuuper crunchy chicken, and great flavor in the sauced veggies. I would order all these items again! read more

Gozen - karaagae don - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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I was worried when I opened yelp at the restaurant & found some bad reviews ... was about to leave but thought I'll just give them a try & see.... WoW I'm super glad I stayed. This is one the most flavourful sushi restaurants I've ever been to .. it's really really tasty. We ordered the popcorn roll, spicy tuna roll & Dynamite roll ... All of them were very well made & had tons of flavor. I'd be back if I came to Victoria again. read more

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I had the Karage Gozen lunch special today ($15) and green tea ($3). What I liked is that there was a thin batter on the Karage and as a result, it didn't absorb that much oil. The Karage was soft to chew and the donburi had lots of stir fried veggies in it to balance out the deep fried Karage so it didn't leave me with a greasy feeling. Karage was flavourful and I liked the sauce they put on it. It was just enough sauce. It reminded me of KFC (Korean fried chicken). The tempura wasn't that oily either and nice and crisp. The side dishes were cute. The lunch special came with some pickled cucumbers, gomae, bulgogi, and shumai. Overall, it wasn't overly filling and it seems a lot of care was made in preparing the dish. For example, with donburis the rice can get soggy with the liquids/sauce or veggies placed on top but it wasn't the case here. The deep fried items weren't oily. I liked how there was a good portion of fruit and how it was cut. I feel whoever the chef is, he kept the diner in mind when preparing the food unlike a lot of budget Asian food joints that prioritize quantity over quality. The service was good. One of the chefs walked around the restaurant to check on people during lunch service. I don't see many Japanese restaurants as this level of care and quality. I believe this place is Korean run, but it's above the level of many Japanese run places that I typically prefer. I would definitely come back again for lunch when I'm in Victoria. read more

Gozen - Karage Gozen Lunch Special - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This place is honestly pretty good I'm not gonna lie. The menu was extensive with lots of options and fun rolls! The fish was uber fresh and the tempura was extra crispy! They don't give you soya sauce at the table so if you like a lot of sauce like me, it gets kinda embarrassing to keep asking for some. The menu was a scanned QR code which I really enjoyed! Service was lacking (the employee didn't know her menu which lead to miscommunication) other than that it was really good! Would recommend (: I'm out yelpers -Steph read more

What a great surprise! Elegant sophisticated space, pleasurable service. Spot on food - fresh, clean, vibrant flavors. Colors and presentation which make you want to get out a canvas and start painting. Definitely on my short list for superb dining recommendations in Victoria! read more

Gozen - Lunch gozen plate - made me feel good all day! - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Terrible service. Very disorganized and slow; no bussers! Sushi was mediocre. Large rolls but not much flavor. Do not recommend. read more

Our first stop in Victoria! The Lunch Special are like mini tasting menus at a fabulous cost. We sat right beside the sushi bar and were blow away with the attention to detail in the preparation and presentation of the meal. I may go back every day during my trip! read more

Gozen - Sashimi and Sushi Lunch Special - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We had great service and great food at Gozen. The restaurant was clean. The servers were friendly and attentive. We ordered the angry bird roll and the dynamite roll. The dynamite roll was good. The angry bird roll was amazing! We agree with reviews left by others that their rolls are huge. We typically order 3-4 rolls at other restaurants and we were full after 2. read more

My boyfriend and I were visiting Victoria Island from California, looking for a Japanese restaurant. We decided to give this place a try and boy were we glad we did!  We tried several sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri, oshi, and Japanese ramen. They make their own soy sauce and they use special and quite expensive vinegar for their rice. The rice really brings out the flavor of nigiri and oshi and the sushi rolls. Their soy sauce has the perfect consistency and saltiness.  My boyfriend and I visit Seattle/ Vancouver, BC a lot and have tried several Japanese restaurants in the Seattle and Vancaouver, BC area. This place definitely offer its unique taste and their toro is something to die for! read more

Visiting Victoria for two weeks. I tried four Sushi restaurants including Gozen, Azuma, Nubo and Sen Zushi. Gozen was a standout winner. I ate here three times during my stay. The chefs choice sashimi and Bulgogi Bao where my favorites. Enjoy! read more

While the food here is great, the pricing is 30% over comparable places in town and 45-50% over what you'd pay in Vancouver. The food is delicious, but the owners seem to be trying to do the Cactus Club/Hooters thing. My poor waitress had to do bunny dips to serve me without flashing me. This is not acceptable and will keep me from coming back. The takoyaki seem to carry this theme as well. While I know that a cigar is sometimes just a cigar, there were too many things that made me disgusted with the misogyny of this place. read more

From being to many sushi restaurants in the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver area, I think this is the top three if not the best sushi restaurant I've been to. From the sushi, to the quality of food, atmosphere and the service, amazing. Very gorgeous plating and presentation as well. read more

Gozen - Cherry blossom and pop corn roll, so yummy!!!! - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Three of us went on a Saturday evening. I'm glad my brother made a reservation because I had thought "it's a small town, how busy can it get" (snobby big city person that I am) but this place got very busy, very quickly. So make a reservation if you're going at a peak period. We ordered the tuna zukke don, the baked salmon roll, popcorn roll and ebi shumai. The tuna dish had a nice, light soy and yuzu flavour with delicious vinegary rice on the bottom. The baked salmon was ok, but it didn't have many exciting flavours. The popcorn roll had lots of deep fried goodness with yam tempura bits and deep fried scallops with some interesting sauce on the side. The ebi shumai had small bite-sized portions of shrimp in it topped with a Thai chili sauce drizzle. It was tasty. The service was below average. While the servers were nice, they were inattentive when it came to topping up our water or checking in on us. It took forever to wave a server down to get the bill, so the evening didn't end as well as it could have. Overall, however, the food was great and I'd go back again if I'm in town. read more

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Nice modern vibe, very courteous staff and great food! Every dish was delicious! Tako Yaki ( deep fried octopus balls) Monkey brain (fried avocado stuffed with real crab and spicy tuna) and the Pièce de Résistance - Flame Roll, a Cali roll topped with unagi (bbq eel) and flambé at the table. Wow just wow :-) read more

Gozen - Flame Roll - Japanese Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

DO NOT VISIT. THIS IS A RUDE & MEAN RESTAURANT!! We put up our names on the wait list at 8:55pm. The hostess took our names and told us we would get a table in 30 mins. When we went back after 30 mins to check the indifferent hostess said that because they close at 10pm they would not be able to give us a table. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE DECENCY TO CALL US AND INFORM US EVEN THOUGH THEY NOTED DOWN OUR PHONE NUMBER. Also when I checked the wait list I saw that people who had registered even after us got tables. They had tables for 4 empty but they didn't give us a table. I have proof of my claims. Restaurants like this that are rude and indifferent do not deserve our patronage, pandemic or not. The hostess didn't even call the manager to speak to us when we asked her too. Disgusted is too mild a word!!! read more

Don't listen to any of the negative reviews! I eat here at least twice a week! Best sushi in Victoria, fresh fish and best chefs in Canada. -Fred read more