Jinzakaya and Kinka Izakaya are Waterloo staples - 5 years ago, I savoured every chance I got to eat at these restaurants! Still amazing AYCE spots, but I'm probably just not built to take full advantage of the massive menu here. We came around lunch time and ordered the dinner menu, since there are a couple cannot-be-missed dishes that aren't on the lunch menu. Their strength compared to other AYCE restaurants is definitely their non-sushi options - the carpaccio, skewers, grilled shrimp, steamed egg, and beef roll with enoki mushroom are some of my favourites. I think the only thing that gives me pause is the price tag - $40.99 is a lot, especially for a student. You would have to really stuff yourself to make that value worth it. I do wish they had a couple of the chef favourites on the lunch menu so that people trying to have a cheaper meal could also try those items. Overall, it's probably still the best AYCE sushi in Waterloo. The quality is great and the dishes are tasty. Service was also pretty good, they have you write your order on a paper. I think one or two items were missed but we had no issue with following up on them. read more

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Jinzakaya has loads of options to choose from on their all you can eat menu. There's a large variety of sushi and sashimi and their fish tastes fresh. They also provide pretty thick slices of fish. The service was amazing we had a very nice waitress who was nice and really attentive. The interior of the restaurant is decorated very well. Overall this a very good spot for sushi. read more

Jinzakaya - Assorted sushi and sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Best all you can eat sushi spot in Waterloo. The sushi is made really well and very fresh. The variety of dishes on the menu are really great and the quality is very good for all you can eat. The waitress we had a super friendly and kind. They bring out the food very quickly as well. The inside is also very nice and has nice seating. Would also recommend leaving some room to try the crème brûlée for dessert. read more

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My go-to spot for AYCE sushi in Waterloo! I usually go for lunch since I find the pricing more worth it. Some sushi rolls are better than others but depends on your preference. Drinks are yummy but take a bit longer to come out. Definitely a once in a while thing and good to go with friends. read more

Jinzakaya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

My wife and I tried this place when we're in town and absolutely loved it. We ordered quite a bit of food but enjoyed almost all of it, here are some highlights 1. Salmon sashimi: we were astounded that this was from an ayce place. It was on par with some of the best salmon sashimi we've had. They tasted very fresh and very fatty. 2. Takoyaki: was also surprised by how good the takoyaki was. Very crispy and very hot. The batter tasted very rich. 3. Strip loin steak: the beef tasted great and the fried garlic was the perfect doneness. I easily could have eaten several plates 4. Beef carpacio: very solid, and since this usually costs quite a bit at most restaurants I ate a lot. Honorable mention: the strawberry cheese roll was interesting. Worth trying although a little bit of soy sauce goes a long way. The service was great. We arrived around 4 and got all of our food really quickly. The waitress was friendly and was quick to service us. She even helped us with the wobbly table. read more

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Amazing all you can eat Japanese sushi restaurant in Waterloo Canada. The price is very reasonable for this all you can eat food. This place is located in The Shoppes at Waterloo. Quick service and many options, the inside of the restaurant is very nicely decorated and has the Japanese feel, tables are nicely placed. You are given a sheet of paper to request what you would like to eat, you can keep filling that up until you are full and they keep bringing the food, go with a large appetite and I recommend you try everything. Highly recommend for Sushi lovers with a large appetite. read more

This is Kinkaku's (KKK) second location, but better. For one, the parking is much easier given that there are two large parking lots nearby - Waterloo Square North + Waterloo Square South parking (weekends free, and weekdays don't exceed 2 hours from 8am - 5pm, afterwards free). Kinkaku's parking is much harder to find especially at busy times. As for food, it's largely the same menu as Kinkaku, I don't know if Kinkaku changed their menu offerings to reflect the same as Jinzakaya. But there are some new additions to the menu: -Takowasabi. I've never seen anyone offer Takowasabi for ACYE and that's just amazing to have. FYI, Kinton offers the same thing for $7 a spoon. -They also started offering Tonkotsu Ramen, although this was not available when I was there. -Poke bowl is also a new item but I didn't try it. -Another change (and this is confirmed by the server), is that Jinzakaya serves Melona, while KKK stayed with its ice cream offerings. -Kawahagi: dried fish with spicy mayo. Kinda like those Asian dried fish snack - more like a dessert item to me. -Chicken Skewer with Cheese: very cheesy. Fills you up - I'd eat it anywhere else but not in an Ayce restaurant. The rest of the menu is pretty much the same as KKK. High quality food, delicious sushi, fresh sashimi, fast serving speed...etc, it's all what you'd expect from their Kitchener location, but now in Uptown Waterloo, where it's easier to access for all UW/WLU/Conestoga students. I anticipate Jinzakaya becoming more crowded in the future as more people become aware of the location (already has a lot of people). But JZKY is just like KKK, quite expensive. I recommend coming here only if you're ready to feast. Bring cash for $2 discount (no longer 10%), and reserve well ahead if you have more than 6 people. read more

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Love this place. It's definitely more spacious than their other location and the parking is so much better too! There's side street parking available and more behind the Shopify building. They only take reservations for a party of 6+, so if you've got a smaller party, plan accordingly. I went on a Wednesday night at around 7 - got seated very quickly and served beverages immediately. The menu is very easy to read and the food comes fairly quickly. Their sake menu looks amazing - must try the next time I go. Must try foods: Carpaccio (all of them, salmon/tuna/red snapper/ beef) Pork Cheek Tempura (they do it really really well) Izakaya roll was really good and fresh as well Cheese and chicken skewers (surprisingly, I loved this. Cheese melted on top of bite sized chicken pieces that were grilled. just the right amount of seasoning) Fried flatfish? It's new on their menu - it's a fried fish, sweet to taste, Common as a japanese snack food - that was really good I tend not to eat a lot of sushi at AYCE places, but they do it really well. Their other food items are done very well too! you save $2 if you pay with cash, FYI. Service was awesome - might be because they weren't completely packed, but the servers were very attentive and cleared dishes out promptly, which is nice. The tables are small in terms of, if you order lots, you're not going to have any room for your dishes because they do come out quick. read more

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Kinkaku's second location in Waterloo! Located in uptown by the Shops. Note: Friday - Sunday they only serve dinner which is $34.99 (they add $4 on top of the original dinner price) The large variety of options for an AYCE sushi place is just one of the great features of this restaurant. The menu items are very similar to Kinkaku, but with a special addition of Melona as their ice cream dessert. The ambience of this restaurant is on the smaller side in comparison to Kinkaku. There are very few seats for just just two people, chances are you'll be seated on the large Center table. The downside to that is it is very tight, and you're constantly apologizing for accidentally hitting the person next to you. On the upside, the service is phenomenal as your waiter or waitress is always present to assist you. The food comes at relatively fast and of great quality! read more

Jinzakaya - Deep fried mars bars - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

This is our go-to AYCE sushi. The food is always fresh AND fast, never had to wait long for our food. Love the music they play, it's always a good time. The portions are HUGE and tastes delicious, always consistent. We look forward to coming here every time! read more

I've been a fan of Kinkaku for a long time, so when I saw Jinzakaya open up I was really excited because it was a lot closer to where I live. Unfortunately, I usually go with a large group of friends so we can get a reservation (they only do reservations for parties of 6 or more at either location), and they were very much not well equipped for large parties. A giant circular bar-esque thing took up the middle of the restaurant, and the rest of the space just had small tables or booths. I'd definitely recommend going to Kinkaku if you have a large group because honestly, the booths at Jinzakaya would be hard-pressed to fit six people. I put one more star down because it took forever for us to get any sort of sashimi. There were long lulls where we just had no food and were waiting, and by the time we had put in our second order and it was starting to arrive, we still hadn't gotten any of the sashimi from our first order. It was probably the worst experience we've had at an AYCE sushi place since it took so long to get any sort of fish, and you have a limited time at the table. read more

All you can eat sushi spot located in uptown Waterloo. There was a wide variety of menu items to choose from but food tasted just okay. Dishes took quite a while to come out as restaurant with pretty packed. Price is a bit high and there is a 90 minute dining time. read more

I'll admit that I thought offering AYCE at an "izakaya" is deceiving and didn't deserve to have that name in their business but after dining I understand why - it's a new concept for Japanese cuisine and I was thoroughly impressed. For the star deduction: it was very difficult to dine in a group of 5 as we got the smallest table out of the three booths in the restaurant. I would have to ask a few times for dishes to be cleared to make room for our other dishes. Also, tea was offered at $1 extra but they can't serve hot water on its own (?????). For the four star rating: everything was made fresh to order, as in every kitchen item came out piping hot. The sashimi was perfectly sized for "tapas" portion and was fresh. The spicy salmon rolls were delicious (I asked them to omit the tempura bits). Service was excellent. I don't visit Waterloo often but when I can, I'll have to visit again or drop by their other location. read more

I remember going to Kinkaku Izakaya back in first year and found it to be one of the best AYCE sushi places. Now that it's changed locations and names to Jinzakaya, I still think that's true. The variety it provides will always be one of the notable things about this ACYE sushi restaurant. The food is tasty and portioned well for AYCE! I've also loved their alcohol selection as well, their cocktails are a must-try! The location is close to the ION train and there is plenty of parking in the back, this makes it a wonderful location if you're someone who relies on public transport (like students) or want to ensure you can snag a parking spot. The staff are readily available and very friendly. However, I found that a few staff who worked in the back stared a lot and seemed to be muttering things pointed in our direction. This made the experience a little unpleasant and why I've knocked a star off. I would still go back though because it's hard to find a selection like that anywhere else in Waterloo! read more

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The salmon sashimi is top notch and their eel sushi is divine! Everything comes very quickly and service is friendly. Came here twice for a birthday and an anniversary. Both times were honestly amazing! Can't wait to come by again. Dinner menu includes a lot of premium items compared to their lunch menu so highly recommend coming in the evening. read more

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It's just like Kinkaku izakaya just an uptown location Foods good Service was good Maybe not the best location for big groups Tapas are only available at lunch Dinner is AYCE Interior is nice They also serve a melona bar for dessert that's probably the most major difference. But come check it out and see what your opinion is. read more

Jinzakaya - Dinner Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I am a long time fan of their first location, Kinkaku for many years when I was studying in Waterloo. It was the best AYCE restaurant I have ever eaten in Ontario. When I heard Kinkaku was opening a second location called Jinzakaya, it was exciting and also, closer to campus. Since it is a pandemic right now, I opted to go to Jinzakaya instead since they were offering patio service. Anyways, my experience at Jinzakaya was so different from my experience at Kinkaku. Pros: - Pretty much the same menu as Kinkaku except they have some new items I have never seen before: Melona, Tonkotsu Ramen, Tako Wasabi, Kawahagi - More offerings when it comes to alcoholic drinks (i.e. Sake Bombs) - Location is way more convenient than Kinkaku - A lot of parking in the area - Get to order items on a piece of paper instead of reading it to the waiter Cons: - Our patio table was a regular folding table and was clearly too small for everyone to sit comfortably - Food was not as fresh (i.e. the tempuras did not taste fresh and it tasted like it was fried with old oil), also some people in my group got extremely sick after eating the tempura dishes - The cooking seemed different from what I was used to at Kinkaku (i.e. the rolls were not as good, the steak was not cooked as well and lacked flavour) - No more matcha pudding (at least right now) and ice cream - Service was worse than Kinkaku - No more 10% cash discount I really wanted to like Jinzakaya but the experience was mediocre and definitely not worth the drive from Toronto. The biggest disappointment was the service. Kinkaku was all about good service but this was definitely not reflected here at this location. The guy who handled the cash at the cash register was really rude and had an attitude problem, which was uncalled for. Also, the price has increased astronomically from when I last went to Kinkaku (at least by $7). With this price increase, I would expect better service and better quality of food. I probably won't return to this location but may return to Kinkaku in the future. read more

Amazing quality of food for an AYCE restaurant. Food was on par with what would be expected from non-AYCE sushi restaurants. I would suggest getting any of the cooked dishes, tempura, rolls, nigiri, and crème brûlée. Sashimi portions and quality are a bit on the lower end, but overall a great experience! read more

Tried this place a few weeks ago. I believe it was a Sunday around 8pm. No issue getting a table for three. Menu had good variety - but overwhelming. Price for AYCE is a bit more then I'd expect to play- believe it was $34+tax. There's only so much a girl can eat. I also felt very rushed, they kept asking if we were done, like let me eat without having to get indigestion. The decor is cool and they were well staffed. I appreciated the low rice content in the rolls, I hate when places try to just stuff you full of rice. So they get stars for that alone. It's close to me (within walking distance) so I'll probably go again when I have that big sushi craving. read more

Amazing food, friendly service and well kept restaurant. Best sashimi I have had in the area - salmon, tuna, snapper and clam are my favourites. They take instructions very well when I ask for extra veggie garnish as I'm one of the few who love eating it ! My spouse and daughter love their spicy salmon and spicy tuna rolls. California rolls are good just not our personal favourite. I look forward to trying their mango salmon roll soon. I order from this restaurant regularly and love the discount offered when paying in cash for take out. read more

Great atmosphere, tasty food choices and fast service for a AYCE. This is my favourite stop whenever I'm visiting Waterloo! read more

Jinzakaya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Jinzakaya is very similar to Kinkaku in terms of the menu, pricing, etc. They are also super busy but perhaps a little less than kinkaku. The menu is larger than kinkaku's but it also costed $35 before tax and tip for a Friday night dinner. The food was very good and fresh! We ordered the typical sashimi, apps, rolls, etc. The rolls here are REALLY GOOD!! (Better than kinkaku in my opinion). Definitely try the izakaya roll! For dessert, the matcha pudding is delicious and you can never go wrong with a melona bar either. I gave 4 stars because the service isn't that good. The orders for the group beside us kept getting sent to our table and the waitress was very pushy and rushed us out at the end of our meal. She started taking away plates and chopsticks before we were even done eating. read more

Jinzakaya - Salmon and red snapper sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I don't normally write reviews, but I am disappointed in the conduct of the front staff. I called on a Saturday night asking for a reservation for Mother's Day Sunday, at 12:30pm. I was told that I didn't need to make a reservation, and that there would be many spaces avail. I was skeptical but agreed. I arrived at 12:20pm, only to be told that there would be an hour wait. Really?!!! If someone calls to make a reservation, please honour that. Thankfully, we found a table at Wakimi Sushi down the street, and the food/service was phenomenal. read more

Kinkaku's second location in Waterloo. You can expect the same quality of food and long wait times. My issue with this location is the lack of group tables. The central bar seating is nice if you're going alone or with one other person, but if you have a group of 3 or more, talking to each other while trying to make table space for all the food you order is a pain. If you're craving Kinkaku but don't want to go all the way to Kitchener, this place still delivers the same quality. Just remember there might be longer wait times if you want a proper table. read more

3.5 stars. For some reason, i remember kinkaku being way better. Came on a sunday night just before 6 with 2 others and had to sit at the bar. It is so cramped..not sure why they thought it would be a good idea to put that in the middle of the restaurant. Service was good as the food came fast and the servers are attentive. The selection of sashimi is very small, with only 6 items and quality was just decent. From the appetizer menu, the takowasabi, pork cheek, buttered corn, steak, short ribs, ebimayo, and chicken knee cartilage were good. The karaage was way too salty and kind of dry. i also would not order that dried fish with the mayo thats recommended on the menu. Still a lot better than other places in the area but i feel like the quality of their sashimi and carpaccio have gone down. read more

Went here for a team lunch a few weeks ago for AYCE. It was just ok for the price you pay. The food came out fast and you order with your server. I rather order through a device like an iPad so you can at least track the order and if check if they actually came through. Also, I found their AYCE selection very limited compared to other AYCE places. But their fish-to-rice ratio is better than other places. read more

A sister to Kinkaku - best AYCE quality I've ever had! I love that they have Melona popsicles for dessert. Tip: if you have a group of 6 of more you can make a reservation, and it's recommended because it's always busy. They're also very strict with eating time limits. read more

Same owners as Kinkaku Izakaya thats downtown Kitchener. So glad they opened another location to help with the overcrowding. This location is uptown waterloo so plenty of easy parking. Their menu is almost exactly the same. There are some extra things on this menu. However, they don't actually have them all. We wanted to try their tonkatsu udon but the server told us they dont actually have it. Maybe they'll eventually have it? Food taste the same. Still as awesome. Didn't have to wait an hour when we got there at 4.30. So happy about this location opening. It's easier to get to as well. read more

Too many wait staff, more than 1 server per person.. poor management. Food quality wasn't great. They charge for extra pieces. Poor management read more

Honestly, Jinzakaya will now only be the reason I visit Waterloo! The staff was excellent and very helpful in explaining all the options on the menu. For an all you can eat, the food quality is top notch and enjoyed all the great sushi and rolls - they have a great selection. Toronto now needs to step up their game! I get the notion the management have trained their cooks and staff very well and takes pride in their work, you don't see that everyday. I am definitely coming back here with a larger group! read more

I am not exactly sure how the price they are charging could be sustainable for the quality of food that you are getting. It's AMAZING.

Awesome... great parking . Food fresh staff are amazing... must try ... beer is cold ... yes win win..

Same menu to kinkaku minus a few items. As always the food is delicious, however the portions are smaller. Of course, i understand its to reduce the food waste for ayce sushi, but its less enjoyable when the bite is so small. Service is phenomenal and much roomier than kinkaku. So easily accessed by transit and it is close to university students. read more

I went with my friends, a group of 7 people. It was an overall unpleasant experience. First of all, the sashimi is not fresh. We had red snapper sashimi and the taste was weird. Therefore, it wasn't finished. However, we were asked to PAY for the leftover which is unreasonable. Secondly, the food quality was so much worse than the original kinkaku. Thirdly, the customer service is very disappointing. They came for the last call 15 min before the end of dining time (1.5 hr). So we legit just had less than 15 min to finish everything we had ordered last round. And the waitress came bugging you, trying to get you out of here, also asking for leftover fee if you cannot finish what you have just ordered. I don't know if this is just my unusually unpleasant experience or this is relatable to everyone. But I would not recommend to come here as a foodie who has been explored around Waterloo for 5 years. read more

Best food in town! Best ayce Japanese I've had ever. Worth it for the price, beautiful decor and atmosphere!

I usually really like Kinkaku and have been a big fan. However this time I went a group of friends, the food and service were just terrible! The reservation for eating at the restaurant went from 2 hours to 1.5 hours. The food took really long to arrive with cut down on the amount time we could eat there. The fish sashimi and some of the fish sushi were not fresh and tasted really bad. We told the waitresses and waiters about it and they said "if you don't finish it we are going to charge you extra". What restaurant forces their customer to eat food that's gone bad?! The waitresses also told us that it's last call 10 min before the end of our reservation, since most fish and sushi weren't fresh, we ordered some veggies and some dessert. The food barely came to our table and the waitresses told us we need to leave because it's the end of our reservation. So not only did they want us to eat food that's gone bad, they won't even let us finish some of the other food we had ordered. PLEASE DO NOT GO, READY NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY! Coming from a long time waterloo student. read more