We had a reservation for 8 pm on Tuesday. The restaurant was packed and bustling. Without a…read morereservation, we would have had to sit at a communal table. I always order beef tongue, Japanese fried chicken, and shrimp mayonnaise. These are my must-orders and their signature dishes. The beef tongue is actually quite simple; it's delicious just from being lightly heated. The hot stone slab is served piping hot, perfect for searing meat. Be quick, or it will cool down. The Japanese fried chicken is tender, juicy, and incredibly fragrant. The seasoning is just right. The shrimp mayonnaise is plentiful and a perfect match for beer. The two seasonal or specialty dishes of the day weren't as good, and I wouldn't order them again. My advice is to order their most popular and classic dishes, and definitely make a reservation in advance if you want to come (especially on weekends, as the wait can be up to an hour).

Kingyo is easily one of the best Japanese restaurants in Vancouver. The moment you walk in, the…read morewarm lighting, beautiful bamboo accents, and lively izakaya energy make the space feel both cozy and exciting. The service is consistently fantastic--friendly, attentive, and quick without ever feeling rushed. I read about some negative experiences online and mine was entirely different. The waitress promptly seated us, served us water and hot team. Food was served pretty fast too. The food is where Kingyo truly shines. Every dish is beautifully presented and packed with flavor. The sashimi is incredibly fresh, the karaage is perfectly crispy and juicy, and the hot‑stone Wagyu is unforgettable--tender, rich, and fun to cook right at the table. Their creative dishes like the truffle carbonara udon and corn ribs show how much pride they take in balancing tradition with innovation. Portions are generous, and it's hard not to want to try everything. We wanted to maximize our eating experience, so we ordered their set lunch. Apparently, there are only limited set lunches available, so we had to reserve/order ahead of time, after reviewing their menu online. You know this place is authentic Japanese restaurant when you are greeted by Japanese servers, and you see Japanese sushi chefs! Reservation is highly recommended if you want to be guaranteed a seat.

I've been to Miku several times, and today I finally decided to write a proper review. First, I…read morewant to praise the service. Every time I come, I can feel the professionalism and attentiveness of the staff. From seating to ordering, and then to the care during the meal, everything is done with great finesse, making me feel comfortable and at ease. The unique politeness and meticulousness of Japanese service are naturally reflected here. The food is also a reason I want to come back. Whether it's the freshness of the ingredients, the presentation, or the taste, you can feel the attention to detail. Japanese cuisine emphasizes the quality of the ingredients themselves, and Miku presents this refinement beautifully. Every dish is pleasing to the eye and has a layered flavor. I also love the ambiance. The overall design is simple, elegant, and has a very comfortable Japanese aesthetic. The lighting, seating, and spatial layout all create a relaxing atmosphere without feeling overly decorated; instead, they have a high-quality feel. As for the atmosphere, I think it's what makes this place so special. Elegant and quiet, yet not too formal, it's suitable for dates or enjoying a good meal with friends. Sitting there slowly eating and chatting makes the whole dining experience particularly comfortable. After several visits, I still feel that Miku is a restaurant worth returning to again and again. It's not just because of any one dish, but because the service, cuisine, environment, and atmosphere combine to create a very pleasant experience every time I come.

Very good experience. Love to go again with my family every month . love the experienceread more

Guu with Garlic has become one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Vancouver. It's an energetic…read moreizakaya with a fun atmosphere without feeling over the top. One of the best parts is the ever-changing menu of daily specials alongside the regular menu, so there's always something new to try while still coming back to your favorites. This visit we ordered the shrimp garlic fried rice, Agedashi Nasu, Grilled Squid with Garlic Mayo, and an assortment of sashimi. The shrimp garlic fried rice is an absolute must every time. It's packed with flavor, perfectly seasoned, and somehow manages to be comforting without feeling too heavy. It is a large dish and can easily be shared by 3-4, depending on what else you order. We also love the Agedashi Nasu here with melt-in-your-mouth eggplant wrapped in a light, delicate coating that soaks up the savory broth. Service is always quick and organized, even when the restaurant is busy. Dishes arrive as they're ready, making it easy to share everything around the table, which is exactly how an izakaya experience should feel. If it's your first visit, don't skip the shrimp garlic fried rice, and make sure to check out the daily specials before ordering. They often feature seasonal dishes that aren't available on the regular menu and are well worth trying.

Great ambiance for a night out with friends for drinks and small bites. I like ordering a few…read morethings for the table to share so we can try more of the items. It really depends on how many people you come with though because the dishes are on the smaller side so you might need to make 2 orders of a dish for sharing. Okonomiyaki, gyoza, sukiyaki and udon are usually my go-tos for sharing.

Even better the first time I came :) Chicken breast Katsu 5…read morestars Service amazing. Waitress kind and beautiful

came here around 8pm on a weekend without reservations and there was quite a wait, both to get…read moreseated and served. maybe 20 mins to get seated and 20 mins to get our food. all the staff were super nice though. they gave us miso soup while waiting which was nice but we ordered set meals that already had it included haha. would've been nice to be offered something else but i guess i can't super complain i ordered a jasmine matcha cloud and the tokujyo rosu katsu. the jasmine matcha cloud was pretty good and you could taste both the jasmine and the matcha well. the katsu was really big and they seem to make their panko in house. it does really feel like you're eating katsu in japan LOL they have the sesame seeds you grind yourself and everything. their katsu sauce and sesame dressing were on point. i just got a few weird fatty pieces in my katsu but it's ok :') everything was pretty textbook! only thing was i felt like it wasn't as crispy as it looked for some reason. some bites (the edges) were good but the middle ones were kinda eh. i would've liked the katsu to be pounded out a little more cause they were quite thick. still good tho!

Very clean and zen restaurant when we went there early around 11am on a weekday for a quick bite…read morebefore heading to airport ; We had spicy beef udon, takoyaki and salmon handroll; they were all good; wish we had bigger appetite and longer stay to try more items on the menu ; Friendly service too :)

As a Washington resident I did not know that the Vancouver Tendon Kohaku's menu was much smaller…read moreand the less formal vibe. I thought it was a nice change of scenery to be honest also I did miss some items I originally wanted and planned to try. There were some of the main dishes, like the bowls, and also mainly udon. The chicken karaage was extremely tender and fresh, you could tell because it was hot which was nice! The udon in both the curry and rose cream udon was very soft and tender as well, tender than what I usually have for udon. If you like your noodles al dante I don't think it'll quite fit your taste but I personally really enjoyed it! As for the taste the spicy rose cream udon tasted exactly like Buldak Ramen's Carbonara flavor, and everyone at my table agreed. The garlic bread was nice tho. To be completely honest staff and workers aren't very attentive, the restaurant wasn't full and I could see the workers standing around. Our table had to ask for water multiple times. Other than that however they're very kind.

I went here for a special occasion dinner. Reservations are highly recommended because they are…read morevery small - 12 diners per sitting and 2 sittings per night. I made reservations about 4 months in advance. Upon arrival, one of the hostesses opened the door for us, and asked us to wait in a very ornate waiting area. We only waited a couple of minutes before another hostess seated us at the main seating area. The space is very dark, and only lit with candles while the rest of the diners trickled in. During that time they take drink orders, which is limited to sake, wine, beer and a few non-alcoholic drinks. Of note, they don't provide a drink menu, so we were a little surprised by the cost - the yuzu sake and the plum wine were $30 each. My non-alcoholic drink was $12, but a fair size. The theatrical portion started a few minutes later than the official start time - closer to 6pm. The shades lifted, the lights turned on, and the chefs introduced themselves. And from that moment on, they immediately went to work preparing our meal. They operate like clockwork to show the ingredients whole to the diners, and then preparing them, and serving them. Soon as the one dish was completed by all the diners, the next round came shortly after. Over 20+ dishes, there was very little wait time in between each. Each time a dish was served, a hostess was there to describe the dish and provided tips on how best to eat it. The food was overall was very good. I thought a few items were very average, most of them were very good, and a select few were truly outstanding. Most of the ingredients are imported from Japan, so I would imagine that it's part of the reason it's so expensive. This is definitely a splurge meal. I think half the diners at our sitting was celebrating a birthday. On the most part, the food is very good, watching the chefs at work is part of the entertainment, and the service is excellent. It's not some place I could afford to go to often, but glad to do it at least this one time.

Drove from seattle to make it to the lunch here - what a fantastic experience. Everything from The…read moreentrance to the end was ceremonial. You start in a small waiting room thoughtfully decorated with cultural touches before being welcomed into an intimate dining area that seats only about 12-14 people. The service was attentive and personal throughout. When it came to drinks, they first asked what we generally enjoyed rather than immediately pushing specific options. Once we narrowed it down to dry sake, our server kindly brought over several bottles and gave us a detailed explanation of each one before we made our choice. Lunch consisted of around 15 courses, with most served nigiri-style. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, and I loved the thoughtful combinations of flavors and textures throughout the progression. Each piece felt distinct without trying too hard to be complicated.The experience finished beautifully with ice cream and matcha--a simple, elegant ending to a memorable meal. Absolutely worth the drive from Seattle. This wasn't just lunch; the intimate setting, pacing, presentation, and hospitality made the whole experience feel special from beginning to end.

Found this little Izakaya spot while visiting Vancouver and it was such a great experience. It's as…read moreauthentic as it gets and reminds me a lot of Japan when I visited in 2025. This place gets busy, so I highly recommend reserving a table online (via OpenTable) but we did show up early to see if there was walk-in seating available. Luckily, we did get the last 2 seats at the bar. The staff are so friendly and cheery. They greet customers that come in and thank every customer when they leave. People who haven't been to an izakaya may think it's loud and noisy, but the point of izakayas is they're supposed to be vibrant, high energy, and filled with cheerful chatter. Think of a tapas-style pub/bar for people to unwind and gather to chat after a long day at work. I loved the atmosphere, as it's casual, entertaining, and lively. The food was great and I couldn't think of a dish I didn't like. The sashimi were so fresh and high quality. Of course they use freshly grated wasabi too. The hanger steak was cooked perfectly and super tender and flavorful. The saba mackerel is grilled to perfection and reminds me of the ones I ate in Japan. I'm not a big fan of bonito but the yaki udon was so tasty, I still ate it with the bonito flakes on top! I would love to come back or go to their Toronto (closer to me) location next!

Authentic Japanese Izakaya vibes here! Guu is the first to…read moredo it here in Vancouver, and the quality of all their dishes shine through. I love that they have daily specials from their chefs (shoutout to Kei and Shota!) which are creative, combining classic creations with their own twists. Service is pretty good and the staff are always friendly and accommodating.

Always try to come here at least once when visiting Vancouver ... great atmosphere superb…read morehospitality and the hand rolls are all amazing Love happy hour at 9:30 great deals and beer Location is convenient if you are staying in the downtown.

Yummy, but pretty pricey. Hand rolls are some of my favorite foods to indulge on every once in a…read morewhile, and this spot delivers exactly what you'd expect from one of these spots. Everyone sits at the bar, and they serve you each course one by one so the seaweed stays crisp and fresh. I got the 5 piece set, along with the salmon aburi. This was the perfect amount of food, and I liked how everything tasted so fresh. The salmon aburi was torched perfectly and was so buttery and smokey. Highly recommend that one! Amongst the hand rolls, my favorites were the scallop and truffle lobster. I've never had anything like the lobster one before, and the truffle flavor enhanced it so perfectly without being overwhelming. That piece along gives this 5 stars. Service was fast and efficient! We only had to wait around 5 minutes to be seated.

Came just for the icecream…read more We were greeted at the door and sat at a table with an tablet to browse the menu and order. Some of the dishes looked good but we were ultimately too full from eating earlier. The Hokkaido icecream came in a cup, a good size for 1 person. The icecream itself was milky and creamy, we really enjoyed it. The interior was open, clean, and decorated.

Broth free soba. Thick spicy noodles that aren't as filling as standard ramon. Tried the regular…read moreand low carb option. I would just get the regular and eat 1/2 the noodles. Interesting take

What a wonderful find here in Vancouver. We had such a fantastic meal and truly enjoyed every…read moresingle bite. The food was presented beautifully, especially the crispy tempura, which was perfectly seasoned and light. The quality of everything we ordered was impressive. We were particularly fond of the rolls served on the dark ceramic plates. It was such a relaxing atmosphere to spend an evening in, and we will definitely be back again soon.

Really enjoyed this somewhat healthier take on Japanese. Brown rice in all their rolls. Love the…read moreflavor of my Ramen bowl, tentative and appreciative team. I'm not vegan, but I enjoyed the "meat substitute" in my udon bowl.