Hanmoto is one of those restaurants that you're excited to come back to before you've even left. I absolutely loved the vibe here, very intimate, very grungy and very true to those hole in the wall bars or street food stalls you find in Tokyo. The food didn't disappoint either, it's Japanese style snack food but not snack sized, so most dishes are shareable. Everything is quite cheap so we ended up ordering almost everything on the menu. The casual, intimate atmosphere with a great selection of food is why I would rank this joint as one of the best date spots. Standouts to me were the Dyno Wings, deep friend, de-boned, and stuffed with pork & bacon. The Salmon Aburi which I could've eaten forever. The Moto Bun, mainly because the bun itself was so soft and delicious. I do caution that there's very limited seating, especially for big groups, so call ahead and make a reservation. read more

Ordered everything on the menu with a group of four people. Dishes are very small. Standouts are the eggplant dish, hamachi, aburi, okra (not for everyone though), and the steak special was phenomenal (they should make it a regular). Drinks were good, we really like the cops and raba. Service was weird, there were too many waiters for the space and they looked bored but a few times they didn't notice our drinks were empty and we had to flag them down for refills. Also, food was paced very quickly. With 12 dishes & 2 rounds of drinks ordered, we were out in 1 hour 20 mins. Overall, decently priced, good for a casual weekend meal. Dishes were fun and interactive. Would come again. read more

I had high expectations going into this place. The reviews were quite good by most sources (Zagat, Google, Yelp, Foursquare). The food was ok/good but I wouldn't say it was the best in town. I was quite disappointed with the dyno wings. It's basically a ch wing attached to a dumpling deep fried. Personally, the dumpling didn't have any distinct taste. I was hoping it wouldn't feel like a TnT dumping but it did. Some of the items lack of flavor even though the textures were well executed. Sadly, the best item on the menu is not an appetizer or a main. It's the dessert. The Miso ice cream was extremely yummy. I would go back for the ice cream only. The second best item in our meal was the was the Uni bomb. It's my first time eating Uni and I quite enjoyed it. The atmosphere and customer serivce deserve a 5 stars: music level and ambience was on par. I want to love this place but it hasn't sold me. I rather go to the Foxley than wait in line. I will go back and try other items. Hopefully, it will change my mind. read more

I have now been 3 times to Hanmoto and I am very pleased with their consistency. The setting is very interesting. It's in a old reconverted garage. They kept the exposed bricks and shelves and added a couple of Japanese inspired wall graffiti. Place feels intimate has there is only a handful of tables and couple of seats next to the food prep area. There is two larger tables for groups. Service has always been good. Fast ,efficient, to the point. Water always replenished and they always make sure our drinks are too. It's nice to see the waiters mixing the cocktails. Food has been great. My favorites are the Dyno Wings, tartare, curry bun, eggplant. To end the meal I strongly recommend the Miso Ice cream. Very interesting taste and good portion, good for 2 or 3 persons. Or 1 sumo fighter. Presentation is original and the food has been consistently well prepared. Music is slightly loud so maybe not best for a first date. And they love Drake. Like, a lot. But once in a while they also have other interesting music selection. This good culinary experience also comes with fair pricing. Give it a try! read more

On a friend's recommendation I tried this new place, I don't know anything about how this type of restaurant is supposed to be run but it was very nice. The atmosphere is grungy and cosy. The food was good if not a bit expensive. We ordered the Hamachi Tartar and a Moto Bun. The tartar was delicious! Totally worth the price. It's a small portion but easily shareable. The presentation was very nice and it was a treat to order and eat. The buns were good but the bun was fried instead of steamed. It was a bit too oily and tasted like deep fried pizza dough, the filling of the bun (sandwich - not a traditional bun) was awesome though. Would recommend. read more

Went to Hanmoto this past Friday night, when we first arrived it was about an hour wait to get in. I have no problem waiting when it comes to good food, and knowing one of the co-owners of Oddseoul was behind the newly opened Hanmoto, I was eager to try it out! The food was truly unique, I've never had anything like it, from the Dyno bones (boneless chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and bacon-delish) to the whole okra (topped with thinly sliced dehydrated salmon- amazing), every item had a twist to it. The drinks were also quite impressive, I would highly recommend the cherry bourbon eggwhite cocktail. My only suggestion for Hanmoto would be to have your server/hostess', as lovely as they were, to be more informed about the food/cocktails. Nonetheless, the experience all in all was great and we will definitely be returning. If you are a (moderately) adventurous eater, and not vegetarian (lol), you too will see that the food speaks for itself! Thanks Hanmoto! read more

Reviews sounded good, so I dropped in for casual drinks with a friend. There were no spots but the host offered to text when she could seat us if we went nearby for drinks, which was great. The space is too loud for a private conversation and it has the kind of semi-shared seating you'd best be narrow of hip and in firm control of your elbows. When we hesitated over the menu for a second, our deadpan server disappeared to do something else more worthwhile with her time. Left to our own devices we chose a couple of the recommended options and were prepared to order efficiently when the server reappeared. My friend picked the dyno wing and the jerk chicken sandwich, me the cold tofu which sounded suitably chill. I don't even want to scratch my memory for details of the food, so I'll go with "murky" and "limp." I nibbled a block of lacklustre tofu and then abandoned the effort, pushing through the "why" of the jerk chicken sandwich with difficulty. I didn't even want to tackle my wing, so it perched reproachfully upright in its box until we were finished. I made my friend take it home, in case someone had a craving for a wing spliced with a dumpling. So yeah, that was Hanmoto. read more

Overall, a nice little spot to have drinks and asian bar food. The dishes were all great for sharing, good flavour, good price. We only tried 3 of the cocktails but they were all nice and refreshing. Highly recommend ordering the aburi salmon, hamachi tartare, oysters, and nasu dengaku. The cops + rabas cocktail was my fav drink as I love ginger flavour in cocktails. The northtown nashi was also good if you prefer something light and refreshing. Unlike some other reviews have mentioned, I didn't find the music to be too loud at all. Also, service was friendly and prompt. I took off one star due to the fact that it was reallyyyy hot inside when we went. They had a large ceiling fan and the front door was open but we were still pretty much sweating the entire time. However, the food more than made up for the lack of a/c (not sure if they actually have a/c and just didn't turn it on that night..?) Anyway, definitely a cute little spot worth checking out if you're in the mood for asian tapas. read more

Came here on a Monday evening and had a wonderful experience. Not too busy and the service was great. We got the eggplant, the himachi, the salmon aburi, and the pork belly bun. Everything was delicious and well presented. Himachi was really flavourful, I found the best way to eat it was to try to get a bit of everything on each bite, which was difficult given the small pieces and chop sticks, but still manageable. Might be nice to have a bit of rice or something starchy to soak ip the sauce because I felt bad leaving all that flavour on the plate! The soft eggplant with the crispy deep fried beets was perfect match of textures and flavours, and same goes for the salmon aburi, nice charred flavour with rice to soak up the sauce. Added bonus of making your own sushi roll, felt like the seaweed melted in your mouth. Finally the pork bun tasted like a mix between a big Mac and a filet o fish, but way more flavourful. One of my favourite dining experiences in toronto for sure, highly recommended. read more

Service: 4/5 (Notes: While the service here as been described as rude and indifferent, our experience was anything but that. Friendly and helpful as any other good Izakaya in TO, including soliciting feedback about the dishes. Decor: 4/5 (was aiming for a faux seedy look, without making patrons contract herpes from toilet seat) Food: 4/5 (everything was yummy) Value: 4/5 Repeat: Yes Gets crowded fast. Come early and leave your name for a later seating, that is the only way to book ahead for the same evening. read more

One of my favourite places to eat. I love everything about it. It's a lil hip-hop joint, tucked away off one of the side streets, with a small menu that packs a mean punch. All of the dishes are insanely flavourful and have good crunch. Cocktails are pretty dope too. It's really small, maybe seats 15 people - but it's intimate and cozy. read more

Long wait time.... Went with a big group and that was a struggle cause there isn't a lot of space. But the food was very good! Everything was very fresh and there was a variety of things to choose from. The food is very authentic. Especially their in house savoury ice cream. Was something I've never had before. Excellent customer service! read more

See all

Dark, sexy, hip. It's as if you are dining on a post apocalyptic movie set (think: Akira). The kitchen is so small that it over spills onto an alcove under the stairs to the bathroom. You can see a guy chopping up nori sheets as he munches on some while you dine. Let's face it, you want to come here for the experience. That's not to say that the meal doesn't satisfy, because they bring it in the pint size kitchen. The food doesn't shy away from flavours, multiple times they wowed us. Although not everything is a winning dish for us, and I seem to not agree with some yelpers here, our favourite are the Salmon Aburi, and hot hot tofu, and Uni bomb. Also had the miso ice cream - would recommend trying it if at least 2-3 people are willing to share. It's quite an umami explosion and not for the faint of heart. read more

It's a really small hipster kinda restaurant served with special sake. The food is great and my favorites are dyno wings, pork belly bun and the salmon aburi. :) Dyno wings are very crispy and crunchy on the outside and stuffed with juicy grounded meat. Sweet on the outside and salty on the inside. read more

See all

Loved the okra, Salmon aburi, and eggplant dish. Very good flavour combo and unique preparation. Deep fried potato noodles strands on the eggplant is so neat! Dyno wings were a little too salty and just OK (koodos for the unique concept of stuffing it with a dumpling filling), and the pork bellt bun was too saucy but that was OK too. Miso ice cream (not pictured) is cool to try...not sure if we loved it but it was definitely interesting! read more

Hanmoto - Okra, salmon aburi, dyno wings, eggplant and pork belly bun - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Miso ice cream was amazing and is highly recommended. We ordered salmon aburi and uni bomb too and they were great too. Place is small, and hard to accommodate large groups 4+. read more

See all

A tiny hole-in-the-wall type restaurant tucked away in the West end. Very dark, grungy and small. Good for groups of 2. Eclectic menu, pretty expensive ($40pp with drink). We had: Salmon Aburi - torched salmon pieces on top of rice, served with seaweed. Usually not a huge fan of the aburi hype but this was good! Uni Bomb - love my uni, topped with crispy chicken skin! Dyno Wings - pork dumpling stuffed inside chicken wing. tastes better than it sounds! Nice sweet crispy skin. Katsu Bun - a tender pork belly, with shredded lettuce and mayo really reminds me of a slightly upscale version of McDonalds For drink I enjoyed the Iggy Smalls - grapefruit & thai basil cocktail read more

I was tempted not to rate Hanmoto because it is such a small place with very limited seating, and I didn't want it to be impossible to get a seat when I return. We ordered a few different items off the menu - I can't remember the names of them, and Hanmoto doesn't have a website... (not surprised, they don't even have a sign outside the restaurant). Two dishes stood out for me. The Tartare dish and the dyno wings. Both were outstanding. Nice ambiance in this small joint. I would probably rank it in my top 5 in Toronto, I was really blown away. My friend and I found out about it at Odd Seoul, which has the same owner(s). read more

Walked over to this spot late last night via recommendation from some friends at Mahjong. Walked in and was immediately greeted by the bar manager (Ester is a legend ) who poured us waters and was incredibly personable. We were starving so she recommended the chicken curry and pork sandwiches. We watched as the chef prepared them with care and were blown away by their complex tastes and textures. For a spot that serves food late and is a bit tucked away, Hanmoto was probably the best little secret we stumbled upon in Toronto. read more

Finally visited Hanmoto! Was worried it would be busy when we got there at 730pm, but it's summer and there were only 2 tables occupied. It was a hot night, and we were worried that a small space like this would be warm inside. But they had the fans / AC going and it was very comfortable. We loved the Salmon Aburi - next time we'll have to have two orders so that we can have one each! The hamachi tartare was also very good. The wasabi here is very fresh, and if you have allergies at all, this is the remedy to clear up your nose right away! We also tried the dyno wings, moto eggs, and the pork belly bao. The dyno wings were interesting - it was a little dark in the restaurant for us to deconstruct the "wings" to see exactly how they got the pork to stay on the bone, but it was definitely a fun dish! In future, I think we'll skip the moto eggs and will ask for the pork belly bao to be served without so much "sauce". It was delicious, but very messy, and the sauce overwhelmed the pork belly, which did not need its flavour covered up like this. Service was prompt, easy-going, and the entire place had a cool, laid-back vibe. The total bill, 5 dishes + a beer + a wine, was ~$75 (including tax, but before tip) which is super reasonable for what we had! We left full (not overly stuffed, which is a good thing) and very happy! read more

We got to Hanmoto just before opening; short wait for a bigger table for the 4 of us. Food was amazing, we tried almost everything on the menu and our fav's were the oysters, salmon aburi and fried chicken! Loved the atmosphere and service. read more

I liked the vibe of this restaurant but the food was OK...Odd Seoul so much better. Had the tuna tartare, it was, rich and creamy. The wings were crispy but the dumpling was nothing special which is the same comment for the pork belly bun and curry chicken bun. Happy I went and tried this place but don't think I'm coming back. read more

Ummm sooo. I wasn't planning on visiting this establishment on a thursday evening, cuz thursdays are for me aand mr. ralphstien my kitty, duh. BUUuUUt, somehow I managed to put on my pussnboots and bare the minus 30 degree fohkin freezin cold - ya know what I mean? And before I knew it, I was balls deep in rice and raw salmon that tasted like the bottom scrapings of left-overs from my Nona's cooking...and that sheet is gold. \ The atmosphere was industrial and fabulous. Wouldn't recommend sitting next to the bartender b/c he was lonely n' sad. He was def a sad boi fok boi yanno? I do think that some of the bartenders aren't fuck bois tho. I felt a fun energy in der. I am bringing my aunt carol for her birthday next week and I want everyone to be there. LOVE, MIKEY P read more

Good menu, loved the salmon aburi, dyno wings, miso ice cream. The moto eggs and eggplants were ok dishes but worth trying. Service was quick, attentive and we really liked the ambience; though for the instagrammers out there, beware it's dark :) Prices were a bit high but it's to be expected from a place like this. Cocktails were around $13, beers around $7-9. Food prices average at $10 with a couple of exceptions. read more

My fav waitress Hailey isn't here any more? Say it ain't so! Noooo.... Other than that anguish, the food here is awesome. :-) read more

This place is so fun. Limited seating because it's tiny, but due to that reason the attention to detail and quality of food is on point!!! They have these dumpling chicken wings (I know sounds crazy) that are AMAZING! My boyfriend always wants to go there for dinner to get these. Will definitely be visiting again and again! read more

This is not an izakaya, btw. It's a tapas bar, and an overpriced one at that. They didn't have any classic izakaya fare, like karage, takoyaki and any fish, aside from a $13 fish tartar. Chicken wings were five dollars each. Cocktail were $13 as well. The location was cool and the food was half decent but way too overpriced for what it was. The portions were tiny- we ended up going to a mcdonalds afterwards for some snacks to fill up afterwards. read more

3.5 stars for the food less than 1 star for their less than stellar attitude and service (at the end of night) The night start out lovely but ended on a sour note. We've been to this chic little shop a couple of time with mostly great experience. This time around was a little more than disappointing. The BF and I ordered the karrage special, Nasu Dengaku, Moto Eggs, and dyno wings...between us. Our friends ordered more orders dyno wings, the moto and katsu buns, both the salmon and Hamachi aburi and tartare. There was a lot of food between 5 diners and a sleepy friend. Food was good as always. I was not a big fan of our karrage special as it was tough, and lack crisp. It was just lack-luster and boring. The dyno wings were a bit bitterer for my taste. The star of the show was definitely the moto egg. Textually, it was interesting and worked well together. The crunch of the chicken skin added the boost. The temperature and taste were impressively well balanced. Food was good in all. Service flowed smoothly. However, issues surfaced come time to pay the bill. At time of seating, we were never told of their auto gratuity policy. The waiter handed us the bill as he mentioned in passing in a "by the way" type of attitude. Apparently a table of 6 or more, auto-grat will be mandatorily applied. I've mentioned earlier that 5 of us were eating and 1 of our friends was seated but did not eat. We did not fight them on that. The auto-grat was a whopping 20%, definitely higher than most auto-grat in other restaurants places. We did not argue nor make a fuss. We paid. In the process of paying, another 20% was auto prompt, and if our friend (who was operating the POS), was not coherent or observant enough, she would've tipped on top of the ridiculous 20%. As we were getting ready to leave the venue, we were discussing it amongst ourselves about the fact that the 20% was automatically loaded as a default tip amount and patrons would have to take steps to change the amount. On this matter, I believe that all serving staff should be tipped for their service but the amount and percentage should be set to what the diners see fit. Anywho, on our way out, the server stopped us in our tracks to tell us we didn't tip on our bill. The same server that threw us the "by the way" 5 minutes earlier. Offended, confused, and frankly a bit pissed off on the unfounded attack, we asked about auto-grat...without skipping a beat, he decided the best course of action was to explain it away INSTEAD of a genuine apology of our table. That was beyond ridiculous. We left without hearing that apology. read more

See all

This place is a hidden gem of Toronto. My friends and I walked there while in town and made it just a few minutes shy of when they opened. Tiny restaurant with an amazingly cool vibe but plan ahead because within about five minutes of us getting the last seats, they had a line out the door. The drinks were amazing and the bartender was very knowledgeable and helped us pick. The food literally left me speechless. Coming from the Bay Area, we have a lot of good sushi but this was by far the best I had ever had. Favorites were the stuffed chicken wings, pork belly sandwich and the halibut special. Highly highly recommend this place, it's a keeper! read more

A dive joint, no signs, no reservations, no website, inconspicuous with just a few tables. Food lives up to the hype, it was really good. We had the dyno wings (must have), okra, eggplant, aburi salmon, himachi, Moto buns and the desert. The service was good as well. Make sure you get there early, or you won't get a table, or be prepared to wait. read more

Hanmoto - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The place is great, not on a fancy side. But that's kinda place I like the most - the one that cares about food quality and costumers more then it cares about outside decors and neat looking waitresses. We've ordered four dishes and I can't pick one that was better then the others! Will definitely go back and try their other ones:) read more

I have been here two times. the food is very good, service is good. smaller joint and special in its own way. The food tends to run on the sweeter end. So if you don't like your food a bit sweet, you may not enjoy it as much. prices are good. I recommend it. read more

The food was great and unique, we both loved it. Its pretty loud inside and get busy. Its kinda hipster style service so everyone wants to leave cool impression as no 1 priority and the gold service and being nice. Still, good joint for a drink and good unique snack. Glad it's in my hood! read more

Started off with two dishes and ended up trying almost everything. The ambiance, the food, the cocktails and the service all fit a cohesively thought through experience that is superb. Perfect for a date or a group hangout. read more

Hanmoto - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This place is by far one of my favorite dining experience in Toronto. The vibe, the food, the decor, music. Everything about it is phenomenal. The food is ridiculously good. They had one cook and every dish that was prepared for us we saw all the magic happen and how much care the chef would take in plating it. Every dish we had was full of exciting flavors to the last bite. You would be tempted to want to lick the plate clean. We had the salmon aburi, taretar, eggplant and dyno wings. Absolutely delicious. I can't wait to come back. Thanks Hanmoto. read more

Great home made cocktails, great eats, funky vibe. Great Blues that bartender sometimes sings along to. Can't be a better night out.

This restaurant is one of Toronto's hidden gems. I will be forever recommending this place. Though the restaurant could use some aesthetic changes- especially in the washroom, it's nice to have a place so quaint and unpretentious. The food is all AMAZING and the service was attentive. Will 100% go again. read more

See all

Amazing food. Dino wings, all the buns, the Moto egg, literally everything I ate was well balanced flavor profiles. Not too sweet or spicy, just delicious Japanese tapas. Must eat restaurant read more

Very industrial feel inside this bar. No signs or anything outaide indicating this is a resturant. Food was amazing. Tried the deviled eggs, oysters, salmon, okra, dynowings, pork belly sandwich and miso ice cream. Deviled eggs - traditional deviled eggs with some an asian spin. Really enjoyed this dish especially the chicken skin and fish roe. Oysters - were really fresh but would have liked it if there was less sauce. Also a bit steep in price. Salmon - little cubes of seared salmon with some really tastey sauce and sushi rice. Great app. Okra - nice spin on okra with a sour sauce and cheese. Really liked this unique dish. Dynowings - the famous dynowings that brought us to this place. I did not think it lived up to the hype. The batter was a tad on the burnt side. The "dumpling" filling is actually the ground pork you would find inside a dumpling. Was really looking forward to seeing some dumpling skin in there. Pork belly sandwich - this was my favourite main dish. Tender pork belly which is then deep fried(!) And put between bread similar to a poboy. Recommend this! The highlight was the ice cream. Very rich and smooth. Ended our meal perfectly. Next time we visit we will be trying the rest of the menu. read more

Came here on a Monday night and had dinner in. It's a small space and it doesn't look like they take reservations. Normally, I would give this place 4 stars as I was not impressed with their service (more explained below) but the food and atmosphere was so great that one star for those sections were not enough. I'd absolutely come back here again and again (this may have to be a new Toronto staple). Food: The restaurant is Japanese Izakaya which is basically Japanese style Tapas. The menu is not 500 items long but has a good variety between more raw/sushi like items and hot dishes. We tried both buns and they were outstanding. The Katsu bun is slightly better than the Moto in terms of unique flavors but both were very well executed (and a little messy). The waitress told us that the buns are messy and that they do not give out cutlery so you should order two. It's OK, we shared and it wasn't the worst thing in the world. The Sushi Aburi was excellent and fun to have a deconstructed roll and then you roll yourself. The Dyno wings were so good we had to order more. We were skeptical on the concept. On the one hand I love chicken wings and I love pork dumplings. But together? There is no middle ground, its either amazing or heresy. Luckily, it was amazing. The drinks are also as complex as most of the dishes. The miso ice cream is a must. We shared it amongst the two of us and it came with tiny spoons so you could keep savoring it over and over again. The ice cream was definitely made with condensed milk and had a more kulfi like consistency to it. The little crunch on top left me with a nostalgic feeling, but to what I wasn't sure. Decor: It's like walking into what a late night at a 40s style diner is like when its past closure and all the employees are just enjoying their own meal. The seating is all over the place but it has a cool fun vibe to it. It's certainly a good talking point. It was oddly hard to find the location as there is no sign outside and if I didn't notice people outside smoking I wouldn't know where this place is. Service: The waitress we had was fine but we were happily eating our food and they just coming and taking away our plates. I was still eating some of that garnish that fell on the plate. It was pretty annoying. Like no I was not done picking at my food, let me enjoy every morsel please. Price: Overall for quality and interest, pretty darn good. Notable Extras: I think the Dyno wings and decor really suit the place. It's really is a place that the flavor profiles, decor and ambiance just all marry well together. Kudos to their designer for nailing it. read more