Amazing sushi and very fresh fish. The owners are also very nice highly recommend this place

To keep the rainy winter blue away my friends and I were seeking a gourmet therapy. We felt like Japanese cuisine was the perfect prescription for the day so we went to this restaurant. This cozy restaurant is easy to find with plenty of parking lots outside. The server offered us a larger table for five of us. Having settled down we order their lunch combo. The sashimi was fine and the main dish hamburger meat was nicely cooked and delivered with the side dishes. Price was very reasonable for the portion and quality. This is a good place to try. read more

Gyo-O - Lunch set - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

This is such a hidden gem that I should have come back a long time ago. During the Dine Out Vancouver festival, they decided to have their own special set menu separate from the festival. I tried all three specials with my family and loved the presentation, quality of food, portions, and great service. I'd say the only thing bad about this place is the seating which is a bit cramped. read more

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I had a lovely lunch of Assorted Oden at Gyo-O recently. It was a simple meal, but Oden isn't something that I see often around here so I was very happy to be able to order it at Gyo-O. There's another restaurant in Richmond that's supposed to specialize in Oden, and I had tried it one time but found it quite disappointing. While there was a wide variety of Oden to choose from, we weren't very impressed with the food when it arrived at our table. Oden is meant to be a hot wintertime stew but the broth that was served with our oden was not at all hot. This Oden at Gyo-O was much better. The broth was hot as it should be, and the size of the food was impressive. The tofu and daikon were both massive! Such humungous chunks of tofu and daikon. I'd had Oden in Japan not too long ago, and the daikon there was also huge. This daikon at Gyo-O was quite comparable in size. Possibly slightly larger even. If I have a craving for Oden, I don't think I'll bother searching for any other place in Vancouver to have it. I'll come straight to Gyo-O again! My friend was with me and she ordered a Tendon bento box. She said the rice texture was a bit off, and ended up pouring soup over her rice to moisten it. The tendon though, according to her was very nicely crisped. Service:  Good Parking:  Plentiful and free Location: #2137 - 3779 Sexsmith Rd., Richmond, BC read more

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I'm used to having Korean spicy salmon sashimi dish with cucumbers and go choo jang sauce but their spicy salmon sashimi dish wasn't spicy at all and a lot smaller portion compared to Korean Japanese restaurant. Their portion is quite small for what it is ...(I don't think their spicy salmon sashimi dish is worth it at all). However, their lunch box is worth it! I would recommend their lunch box and I like how they are an authentic Japanese restaurant! I love their ambiance as I feel like i'm in Japan when i'm inside their restaurant and their service is decent. read more

Gyo-O - Salmon sashimi don - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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We stopped by for dinner after a quick Yelp search. The menu looked interesting and extensive. There were some items that were unique that I do not normally find at many Japanese restaurants. I decided to order the uni, salmon and ikura don as it was on sale. The portion size was just right although some people might find the portion size small. The sashimi was fresh. The blue fin tuna was melt in your mouth buttery smooth. The aburi could be better and torched a bit more. My kid ate most the beef udon so he liked it. Broth was on the salty side. Service was really good. Staff checked in on us regularly. Food also arrived fairly quickly. Prices were higher than average, but I think the quality of the food was worth it. read more

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Not quite as good as I remember. I used to come all the time and wanting to try out their udon bento, I decided to revisit and was a little bit disappointed with the food but perhaps my tastes have changed? We ordered the: Seafood Yukke Don - this used to be one of my favourite dishes but I dont think I realized how much actual RICE there was compared to the amount of topping. The seafood is in small amounts and when mixed together, you could definitely taste the flavour but it was one dimension in texture (mushy all the way through). Ebi Prawn Tempura - 5 pieces of prawn and 2 green beans, this was a bit over priced as there was nothing special about the tempura and there were two pieces that looked like they were not freshly fried (darker in colour). Deluxe Bento with Udon - the best of the day because of the variety but I found that each item was a bit mediocre. The chicken karaage was large pieces but it was not very flavourful while the udon noodles needed a good dousing of sauce for flavour. The takoyaki was fine and the california roll was surprisingly good (nice texture and flavour for the rice) but the saba was quite dry and seemed overcooked. Overall, I had come wanting to try their udon and dont see a return visit anytime soon as their high prices for mediocre food are not too appealing. read more

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE The portions (and dine-in seating) can be small, but they go big when it comes to good eats and good service, making for a pleasant dining experience and a consideration when looking for Japanese food in the area! === 2. FOOD Pan-Fried Gyoza ($13.00) You get 10 pieces at this price, and while each piece is small, they are clearly handmade and packed with flavour and a piece of shrimp in each! Spinach Gomaae ($5.50) Small - less than half a small serving dish full. It's good and peanut-y in flavour, but...the size-to-price ratio makes me wonder if I can pass on my veggie intake here...! Salmon Sashimi ($14.00) Seven pieces of what could be Atlantic salmon come in this dish - other places serve up to nine pieces, so while the flavour is there, the value may not be... Prawn Tempura Bukkake Udon ($13.00) Six pieces of tempura: four shrimp and two green beans along with seaweed and a soft-boiled egg served on top of soup-less udon. Pour in the provided shoyu, give it a stir and hey: a great meal will be had! I just wish there was a little more udon in the bowl... Seafood Ramen ($15.00) The miso soup base works well here - it goes along quite nicely with the mussels, shrimp, and abalone. This is a nice heart-warming dish certainly now during winter, but likely all year round! === 3. SERVICE Polite and attentive; it was great when providing meal suggestions and relatively quick for food service. Water service is DIY: you can get cold or hot water on your own from a carafe and dispenser with plastic cups on one side of the restaurant. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's a small place to begin with; COVID made it smaller with plexiglass dividers separating tables. There are only a few two-seat and four-seat tables as well as we a couple of bar seats available, so bring your big parties elsewhere. The cozy nature makes it easy to enjoy good wait service, but I would leave wheelchairs and baby strollers at home if possible. Parking is plentiful in the Continental Centre parking lot. read more

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cute japanese decor, I got a sashimi don and it was a pretty good portion, it's located near the square in richmond with a bunch of bubble tea stores read more

Gyo-o is a hole-in-the-wall authentic Japanese restaurant with tapas/sushi style dishes and has been one of my favourites since my high school days. The interior is very cozy with loads of decorations on the walls of the restaurant. Every time I go, I consistently order the same things and you can never go wrong with them. The chicken cold ramen salad ($16) is one of my all-time staples and when I went yesterday (after not having been since pre-covid), I noticed the portion was MUCH bigger than before, with a fistful of salad, ramen and 5 generously large pieces of juicy karaage. My friend and I also ordered the aburi salmon battera (8 pc $15) and the salmon toro steak don (rice, salad, salmon, miso $18). Portion size and prize were standard, taste was rich and flavourful (not sockeye salmon though FYI). For around $25 per person (b4 tip), we were stuffed and had leftovers to pack home. Service was quite fast however, due to Covid, seating had been significantly reduced with only a few tables and 2-3 spots at the bar area. This resulted in a bit of a wait when we went. In addition, the hard wooden seats are a bit uncomfy...guess it forces me to practice good posture haha... read more

Gyo-O - spicy chicken salad cold ramen and the aburi salmon battera (in the corner) - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Gyo-O, Richmond Price: $25 pp Taste: 4.7 / 5 Atmosphere: 3.5 / 5 Seating: 3 / 5 Price Performance ratio: 3.9 / 5 Retention Rate: 100% ℙ: provides fresh + quality food my go to restaurant for cold ramen ramen noods are chewy takoyaki has a crispy exterior but soft interior ℂ: on the pricier side small little restaurant and space is limited : made a mistake adding all the wasabi sauce to my ramen bowl, and it burnt my moral of the story: don't be greedy read more

Gyo-O - Tako wasabi cold ramen noodle - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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So I finally got to visit this place since I often made dinner plans in Richmond on Mondays and this place isn't open on Monday!! It's also funny how this place often get confused with kyu kaku in Richmond or yuu that's conveniently across the parking lot. As expected, it was a homily little authentic Japanese small shop. Everything looked scrumptious and what my friend I got did not disappoint. I got the chicken patti on rice and my friend got the mixed season on rice. I'll definitely have to come back again and try the other items! The takoyaki was also decent but nothing was too impressive/ outstanding about it. Service was good and super quick. You help yourself to your water and tea which I didn't mind. I just find it not very sanitary during covid. read more

Gyo-O - Pretty good vibe and not too busy on a Friday afternoon. - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Food was great! The chicken karaage was super crispy. I also had spicy salmon don that came with miso soup and was just enough for dinner. For the price, I was hoping for the salmon don to come with sushi rice. However, it does include other garnishes to complement the salmon. Seating was a bit uncomfortable because the table was divided into two by a gigantic menu. read more

Gyo-O - Chicken Karaage - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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3.5 Small portions great flavours. We came on the weekend for dinner. I hadn't visited in quite some time a) small space b) pandemic. We were able to get a seat immediately between two other tables. I ordered a Mentaiko Bukkake Udon w/ Egg ($15). Average cost, udon is a very small portion size considering there isn't anything else in it other than an onsen egg (cooked perfectly) and a little roe. In any case, I really liked the subtle clean flavour. My friend enjoyed her seafood ramen. I've had their cold seafood udon and recall enjoying that a lot. Decor is good, lots of parking in this mall. read more

I've been to Gyo-O over at least a decade now and their 'Yukke Don' is my FAV since ever. They recently opened dine in again and also have a special spotted prawn version of the Yukke Don so I went to try it! Although I didn't dine in, I saw their tables had large transparent dividers between the tables. There was also hand sanitizer at the front too. This is all good to see! I tried their 'Ebi Kani Yukke Don' and although costs more than their normal yukke don, it was worth! The shrimp were so creamy, I even sucked the juices out from the head The poached egg was filled with lots of gooey yolk and after mixing it with the rice and other goodies, it was the best creamy heavenly sensation ever. Their dons are truly a creamy don delight as always! They seem to also have a lot of seasonal dons (last time I missed their uni season don ) so if you're interested in seasonal items, totally check it out! read more

Gyo-O - Yukke Don & Ebi Kani Yukke Don IG Photo: @Christy.Chomps - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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It seems just like sitting at a seafood market stall in Japan, tasty, simple. The menu is always changing slightly :). We had the gyoza, Salmon Ikura Don and salmon belly bowl. read more

Gyo-O - Seating - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Dons galore - if you're craving sashimi on rice, Gyo-O is an amazing choice. I come here every month or two exactly to hit that spot. Not everything is highest quality but the fish is always fresh and well-treated, and the rice and garnishing is really solid. Prices are reasonable as their servings will really fill you up. I often get their Yukke done, but they also do seared sashimi fairly well. Appetizers are also pretty good - I like ordering the salmon skins. It is a relatively small storefront, so especially a large group might have to wait a bit. I've gotten takeout/delivery though and had no complaints. read more

Beautiful restaurant, not too loud. Ordered Deluxe Yukke Don which is a bit on the salty side, but great otherwise. read more

Gyo-O - Deluxe Yukke Don - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Been craving for their seafood yukke don for awhile. When I went yesterday it tastes as good as the last time I came here ! They have a very extensive menu. I always end up ordering the same thing every time because it's that good. But my goal is to try their udon dishes next time. It is always a positive experience when I come here read more

Gyo-O - Seafood yukke don and seafood salad ramen - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Stumbled upon this ramen joint and decided to give it a try. Ordered 2 ramen and a gyoza. I thought the gyoza was kinda pricey but that's bc it's got shrimp in it! Hubby loved it - me not so much bc I don't eat seafood! I didn't know my ramen had seafood either! Sadness. So this is really his review! He thought the quality was pretty good overall. Our gyoza came super late - not sure if something was going on in the kitchen bc another couple came in and I guess they asked for another menu but something was happening so they only had what they were presenting at the time and the couple left ... and then another couple left. We didn't know any better. Thought this was the whole menu offering! Anyhow we'll prob be back to try other items. read more

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I've been a fan of this place for many years. Many of the dishes that they serve here are quite unique and not too common, even in the Richmond and Lower Mainland area, I find. The majority of their dishes are udon, rice, or ramen. If you are a big eater, you may not be too happy with the portions here. I think they're sized for you to be satisfied / full, but not overstuffed. I highly recommend their seafood yukke don ($11.43). It's chopped assorted sashimi pieces in an amazing sauce, on top of rice, with a lightly poached egg on top. You can mix it all together, breaking the yolk into the mixture, or eat it as is. I am more of a fan of udon, so I asked for the rice to be switched to udon. This cost $3 - a steep price! But I paid it anyway and it was still amazing. I've tried their ankake udon and bukakke udon. Ankake udon is dry udon topped with tempura bits and a poached egg, with a thick-ish broth on the side. Additional toppings such as chicken are extra. Bukakke udon is udon with a tempura-sauce like broth on the side, and with the toppings you choose. Either are a good option if you're wanting udon that isn't dry. I've also had their ramen salad, which is great for the summer. They have some unique ramen here, such as the oyster milk ramen, that I have yet to try. It gives a good alternative to the miso/shio/shoyu that is so common for ramen joints. I always use a coupon here for a free mini tuna carpaccio. The coupon is from a small book of local Japanese restaurants that I got from the Japanese convenience store on Robson (Konbinya). The tuna carpaccio is covered in a sesame sauce and onions. It's only 2 pieces but whatever - it's free. You're allowed to keep the coupon to use for subsequent visits. Yes, your meal won't be cheap and you won't be stuffed full. But the quality is good and so are the flavours. Service is also pretty good, and the decor is nice. I'll be back when I crave for yukke don/udon! read more

Gyo-O - Seafood yukke ($11.43) changed from rice to udon ($3) - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Not very flavourful and way too overpriced. Wouldn't come here again personally but the food was alright.

Gyo-O wasn't our first choice for lunch, however, the other restaurants were so busy and we're rush for lunch. That's why we didn't bother to drive somewhere else and went in to have quick lunch. Their interior is very impressive and a lot of Japanese menu/name of fishes are on the wall. I like their menu selection and cute decor but the fact that they are cash only makes it very inconvenient and their prices are higher than the quality We ordered Kimchi Squid and squid ball rice and seafood Ramen. Both were not good!! Kimchi squid and squid ball rice - chopped squid was so little and squid ball just like cornstarch ball!! Seafood Ramen even worst - Frozen seafood taste with soaky ramen!! read more

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After dining here for the first time, I said to myself, sayonara gyo-o, I probably won't come back! Why? That bad? Nope! Let me put it this way, if u considered yourself chubby or oversized, please take my advise & always sit on the bench by the wall. U will know what I mean when u see their cheap stools cover with the thinnest so-called cushions. First, u won't feel comfy at all. Second, u will easily make yourself embarrassed sitting on the floor in front of the whole tiny restaurant. I am serious coz I "almost" got trapped & that feeling wasn't nice at all. There's nothing I can highly recommended as the price is on the high side, service good, taste is so so, deco is kinda tacky (not my cup of tea) anyway. Really I m quite disappointed! read more

Gyo-O - Eel Gohan w/ egg on rice $8.33 - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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I would start with my conclusion about eating at this Japanese restaurant right at the beginning of this review.....good food! Everything else was bad. Food tastes good.... All the dishes such as the appetizers, don and ramen that we ordered were tasty. Bad service..... My friends and I put down our name on the wait list. The server looked at the name wrong and called the customers behind us to be seated and they forgot about us! More customers arrived and put down their names on the wait list. The server was confused with all these customers including us again!! Their wait list system was totally messed up. Servers didn't pay attention to the customers like who was who and how many people were there. It seemed the servers just picked and chose the customers on the list! Oh my God! Plus the server did not apologize on their screwed up system?! Very impolite. Less seats and tables..... The restaurant was small that packed with customers inside who were eating. Seating at the table was uncomfortable as everything inside was packed. Customers came into the restaurant. There was no room for people to wait at the entrance of the restaurant. Bad service..... My friends and I ordered appetizers, Don and ramen for dinner. We added one more appetizer in the middle of the meal but the server who took our order totally forgot about the extra dish that we ordered. =.=" Less ingredients and pricy in most of the dishes..... The portion of most of the appetizers was small but they were pricy. We ordered takoyaki as one of the appetizers. The takoyaki had one tiny little piece of octopus inside. The whole takoyaki was full of starch and flour. We didn't pay tip at the end of the meal. We only paid for the bill itself. Adding to my conclusion, this was the first time I tried this restaurant. I had a bad impression and eating experience here. I personally won't come back here in the future. read more

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Been going to this restaurant since 2015, just for this one special dish that only this resturant has. The resturant has many good dishes, but this one dish is one of Japan's traditional regional ramen and this is the only place in BC that has it... The Oyster Milky Ramen. Everybody I've taken here loves it and went back over and over again for that one ramen, but sadly during covid I heard they got rid of the oyster milky ramen... so my friends and I haven't been back to the resturant since... If the owner is reading this, BRING BACK THE OYSTER MILKY RAMEN!!! read more

The overall atmosphere of this place is beautiful! I love the decor and the employees are very nice and quick with their service. As an udon lover, I was happy to see that this place specializes in their udon dishes. The broth was tasty and the tempura was crispy (and abundant!) and their portions are the perfect size for my lunch! read more

Gyo-O - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

The seafood bukkake don was awesome with the poached egg!! Yum Yum... The oyster milk ramen was very interesting and has a nice flavor. I think it might be a bit too rich to consume for one person but we shared everything which was just right. The uni + scallop don was probably the least interesting even though I am a uni fan since there wasn't enough uni on the rice don for the price you pay. I think this is a nice place to go if you don't want to wait long for a nice lunch. read more

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Neat little Japanese joint at one of the many plazas in Richmond. I had the Seafood Tonkatsu Ramen and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The broth stole the show for me. Perfectly creamy/milky mixed with salty, exactly how I like my broth! Nothing special about the noodles but decent quantity to price point value. A return trip will definitely be in the works for the future. read more

Gyo-O - Seafood Tonkatsu Ramen - amazing broth - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Fast. Fresh. Authentic. Focused. No bs. Consistent. Worth the wait, lucky if you don't have to. Chirashi-don is best in the city read more

We have always enjoyed coming here. The food is always fresh and tasty. One of the down side before was that they were a cash only place. However nOw they started accepting debit cards! Yay! We ordered the avocado salmon yukke with seaweed. The sauce is a sweet soy like a teriyaki, with fresh salmon, avocado, a bit of masago, a little crunch and green onion. Perfect starter! Oden are my favourite thing to order at a Japanese eatery. There oden broth is very good, clear and not too salty, with daikon, egg, chikuwa, tofu etc. Yummy! The scallop cone was part of the special of the day and it was so good! Very light flavoured, not overpowering with mayo, crispy seaweed. Exact proportion for every ingredient. We also ordered the chicken nanban Don, freshly fried chicken pieces, a mayo/soy like sauce on rice. It was a great entree to share. We shared everything and it was perfect for two people, not feeling stuffed at the end. Just satisfied and full. Will be back again for sure! read more

Gyo-O - Salmon avacado Yukke - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Haven't been in awhile, but it looks like they changed the menu - less items and more expensive. We ordered the Clam Miso Butter Corn Ramen and a Garlic Seafood Ramen and they were both very salty. read more

Gyo-O - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Since my last review, which was approximately one year ago, I haven't been back to Gyo-O, for whatever reason. Today, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to support and eat from local businesses in Richmond, I went out and gave this place another shot. This time, I came out pleasantly surprised and fairly impressed! Maybe it was because I didn't order any raw fish - see my initial review - or maybe it was just because I ordered something different this time around, or maybe it was because I straight up haven't eaten here in so long and they actually improved their food quality since my last experience. I don't know what it was, but this time was definitely a 5-star dining experience and based on this I would come back for sure. I ordered the tempura bento for take-out which, for $17.00, came with three solid pieces of ebi tempura over rice, two pieces of takoyaki, three small pieces of chicken karaage covered in a kind of tarter sauce, a piece of grilled mackerel fish, served with a lemon wedge and grated daikon, a tablespoon of gomae (seaweed salad), and some pickled vegetable slices. My co-diner ordered the tempura unagi don with a poached egg on top, which, for $15.00, was very pleasant as well. The portion sizes for both items was on-point. Quality of ingredients seemed fresh overall, and the tempura pieces were perfectly crispy on the outside, leaving the insides piping hot and tasty. Everything was great - the sauce, the rice, the toppings, just everything. I could not find anything wrong with this meal and that's why I'm giving Gyo-O a 5-star. We will definitely be back to try other menu items. Great food for a reasonable price and reasonable service. Support this local business! read more

Satisfied. Coming from a landlocked state in the states I was happy with the quality of the raw fish served. Good but not the best. I'm sure there are best sushi places out there or donburi type restaurants but I have to say this place was great. My favorite thing I have to say was the rice! We order the seafood yukke don, takoyaki, some tuna sashimi, unagi don and the tuna mayo one to share! They were all really pretty good! The tuna mayo one has kewpie in it and mixed together so good! Takoyaki comes with a wasabi mayo sauce! It was average at best. Seafood yukke don was great! Unagi was alright, although the rice was really good! I also love how they had shiso leaves! Yum yum! read more

* AYCE "quality" * I generally avoid AYCE spots because I'm not a huge fan of the quality that is normally provided. Gyo-O is not an AYCE spot, but I ordered the lunch set and it turned into something that reminded me of a typical AYCE experience - a lot of variety and just "ok" quality. The lunch set was a very reasonable $9.50 (Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=DxlYGgvQGHERfbLsf6uSlQ) with very generous portions that about matched "All I can eat" and it included: - A rather watered down miso soup without much in terms of "fillings". Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=VSkNaPA_Y8sgoGblowKPfA 2 stars - Daikon and egg oden with Japanese mustard. The daikon was perfectly cooked, and the egg had absorbed flavour from the broth. Nice rendition. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=yeC5tgEk5z2pa-EEAzp2bw 4 stars - A severely overdressed salad. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=feyTanSaL8J4In22Xf_YeQ 2 stars - Overcooked grilled saba, which was downright chewy as it been so overcooked. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=-3lxnBrfQX-u2lWCtyZJvg 2 stars - Over-mayoed and over-battered chicken nanban on a low quality rice. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=zaqxgl9oc3oL9TunOMvx1Q 2 stars - Spicy tuna which was fresh tasting and not overly sauced. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/lzec5ZvTmFuq3UNZhPkmUw?select=cSkeNLKqT50ttLBDs_AnRA 4 stars So things average out to a bit below 3 stars, but I'll round up because the service was friendly. Overall the variety on the menu was very appealing, if they only had better execution so that it didn't taste like AYCE "quality." read more

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I enjoyed their food, they have unique ramen soup bases you don't see at other japanese restaurants. However, 3 negative points are: always a line up, chairs have no backing to lean on, and they accept cash only. read more

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I'm not much of a starch or carb person... if you know what I mean... I gotta watch them sugars or I will put on the pounds. Unless I find something absolutely that blows up in my mouth amazingly of course I won't bother trying it again. From what I've heard Gyo-O has good rice bowls and ramen so I decided to give it a go! In terms of ramen, it was extremely MEH. You can get better ramen at mediocre chains like Benkei. Nothing compared to Motomachi or even Kintaro. The broth was pretty watered down and the flavour (miso) was not miso-ey! So sad! Also the amount of meat or seafood that they give is pretty sad... I was like... NOOOOO, where'd all the protein go? Rice bowls were ok, but I thought they lacked finesse and flavor, it was pretty much a bunch of things thrown on rice. I don't know it's kind of hard to mess it up, but there rice wasn't the right rice... it was just white standard Chinese restaurant rice... not fragrant Japanese sushi or normal rice. Appies were not so good. They were izakaya sized, but not izakaya taste, it was like going to Aberdeen's foodcourt. Don't go here for the food. The ambiance is nice though, really cool interior. The walls are high and painted. There are wood blocks with Japanese words painted on them... a good photo op-place. read more

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This restaurant is run by the same group that opens Nan Chuu Izakaya.. The space is located in a busy strip mall with tons of other eateries, the restaurant reminds you of the quick noodle shop in Japan with their decor. Not suitable for large group as the tables are really small. The Menu is extensive with pictures and descriptions and if you still don't know what you want, flip to the last page and they printed out their most popular items. We ordered: Salmon Carpaccio $6.90 Oyster Milk Ramen $15+ Seafood Tonkatsu Ramen $10+ The Salmon Carpaccio is basically 4 pieces of Salmon Sashimi topped with Roe with Salad Greens, dash of homemade Soy Sauce and generous helping of Wasabi Sauce over everything. The fish tasted fresh but if you are not a saucy person, you might not like it. Oyster Milk Ramen has a light flavor broth, there were 3 of oysters, baby bay scallop, clams, some tomato chunks and tons of green onion and seaweed. Seafood Tonkatsu Ramen has a more deeper flavor broth, there were 3 tiny clams, 3 baby shrimp with 5 pieces of chopped up squid pieces along with tons of green onion and seaweed. The ramen noodles were cooked nicely and not mushy at all. Price is a little high for what they give you. There are several places within the same mall have better offers. read more

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Call me immature, but some friends and I came here to try out their.. Bukkake Udon. Yes, it's an actual dish. Bukkake means "splash" in Japanese. Now get your minds out of the gutter. Okay okay, we actually came because another friend mentioned that the udon here was actually good. I had a Takoyaki (deep fried octopus pieces covered in a ball of batter), and we shared some deep fried oysters and gyoza. The noodles were not soggy and the soup tasted more of broth than MSG. The oysters were a bit small, but boy were they good. The gyoza were also very delicious and fresh. The downfall? I'm sorry, but $11 for a bowl of udon is a bit steep, when other (similar) places charge typically $7-9. I'm sure we weren't the only people feeling this way, as the restaurant was completely empty when we went.. at 1900 on a Friday. The general consensus was "Food tasted good, but we're not coming back". I feel bad for this place because they're probably going to go bust if they don't adjust the pricing. If they brought their prices in line with Benkei or Kintaro, they'll be stealing business left right and centre. Enjoy them while they're still here. read more

Quaint Japanese restaurant with and extensive menu and wild decor, but mediocre food. We had the tuna lunch special and the "Ladies' lunch special", which came with miso soup, a rice dish, salad, and a couple of side dishes. Unfortunately, the salad was too sour, the barbecued mackerel was too dry, and the spicy tofu was too salty and sour. The highlight was the takoyaki, which was made just right. The chicken karaage that came with the lunch special was crispy and delicious, as well. I also appreciated how the Ladies' special included a scoop of green tea ice cream at the end of the meal. I would come back only to try more of the fried dishes (like the takoyaki) or to try their ramen, but I would stay away from the other items. read more

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