I don't leave reviews, and I created an account just to leave this. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING about this place was fantastic. The food was really good, the service was fast and friendly, the ambience was perfect... just a top notch experience. There was just something about this place that felt so friendly and it felt like home. I was visiting from out of town but if this was my local neighborhood sushi restaurant, I'd be there once a week. I didn't get anything special, just some soup and a few rolls, but the tuna roll (far left in the photo) was hands down the most delicious tuna roll I've ever had. To the family that runs this place, thank you. You are very good at what you do and were very friendly to me. This place truly is a gem and I wish I could eat there again in the future. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Miso soup and sushi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great little Japanese restaurant. I had the Chirashi Don and it was well topped and quite good. Good quick, friendly and efficient service as well. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi Don - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We came here on a Saturday at the 11am opening time. There was only one man running the entire shop for most of our meal. Service was a bit on the slow side, but very understandably so with only one person working the entire shop and honestly, we've had slower experiences at places that had more than one person working so...he was working at a pretty good pace under the circumstances. We started with a prawn tempura and it was one of the best we've ever had. Our daughter said it wasn't as greasy as a lot of other tempuras she's had. I love that she's able to make this kind of observation when she's only twelve years old! Highly recommend ordering an Okonomiyaki. This is probably the best and most authentic Okonomiyaki you'll find anywhere in Vancouver. I had on piece of Dragon Roll. It was pretty good but I wasn't blown away by it. Then again, I was already stuffed to the brim having devoured my Vegetable Okonomiyaki and perhaps my senses were a bit dulled from being a bit too full. Ugghhh...I hate that I get full so much more easily these days than I used to. This place is definitely worth checking out! read more

See all

Wow! Amazing place! Everything is fresh and well prepared! Presentation is beautiful. Generous portion. Of course, Food tasted so good! Best Chirashi I ever had in NW. service is great. Ambience is nice. Loved the decor. Restroom clean. Sake selection is excellent too. I will definitely go back when I am in BC!!! read more

The best sushi authentic restaurant in Vancouver! fantastic sushi, The family that owns it is are very friendly! I'm glad to be a regular. Try the beef udon!! read more

Small family owned business! Food can come out a little slow due to limited employees but this is the place for okonomiyaki!! It's very yummy. My friends and I always grab it when we dine here. The sushi is average and a little more expensive than what you expect but you don't find the okonomiyaki in every Japanese restaurant menu. Highly recommend adding yakisoba in with it. We usually order our own sushi and have it to share. An extra tip: If you go around sunset, try not to sit facing the door, since the light is very bright whenever someone comes in. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - chicken okonomiyaki with soba - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Came back again and I'm bumping my review down to 3 stars, mostly because the prices have gone up even more. I mainly come here for the okonomiyaki, and I was sad to see the seafood okonomiyaki now costs $20.85. Even a simple veggie okonomiyaki costs $16.95. Even the chicken karaage is now $9.15. The food is still good, but I didn't feel like the price we paid for this meal (close to $60) for one karaage + two okonomiyaki was worth it. I've uploaded my latest menu pictures from Feb 2021. read more

The only place in Vancouver that serves Kansai style Okonomiyaki! The food is amazing, I love the quality of the fish they use. The Okonomiyaki is made to order and super fresh. It had a good balance of flavors. The service was fast, efficient and friendly, and I really like the calming vibe of the restaurant. Overall, an amazing visit and will be back for more! read more

See all

What a lovely small Japanese family ran business the first time I visited. I didn't have any sushi, but ordered several other cooked and prepared dishes that were made perfectly and really resulted in a delicious nourishing meal. Gyoza properly pan fried, ebi (shrimp) tempura perfect texture and taste, miso soup solid, and salad was fresh, light, and delicious. The hospitality and service was soothing and nice. Very relaxed laid back vibe here, and their sake Japanese beer selection is impressively high quality offerings. Water and green tea were just fine too. This place is a keeper, a little different than the typical Japanese small restaurant. This one stands above most others... The second visit found yakisoba extremely salty and oily tasting with overcooked small shrimp. Okonomiyaki was decent but was very rich and heavy without enough taste or wow factor to justify the high calories. Not much welcome, warmth, or appreciation expressed on entry and exit from the sushi chef (owner?) on visit 2, besides hospitality coming from the server. Second visit wasn't quite the same level as the first bringing the rating to 4 stars vs 5. read more

Back in the day when it was being known as Modern Club we would come here specifically for okonomi-yaki , which was still kinda sorta a novelty thingy in town . Fast forward 10+ years we now have Kuma , which seems to have shifted focus more onto bentos , sushi , sashimi and the likes . Okonomi-yaki is still being served but sadly just no longer prepared right in front of you on a sizzling grill . Also I'm not a big fan of sushi restaurants " hiding " their fish behind the counter away from view . Could be just me being sus though . Lol read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - a close up of a plate of food - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Cozy family-owned restaurant that serves some delicious dishes. Especially love the Okinomiyaki, as it's harder to come by here in Vancouver. As it's a small business, it can be a little slow, but the wait is worth it! Medium price level with kind service and quality food. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This is a really cute family ran restaurant. The food is super tasty and authentic. I ordered the Okonomiyaki (Kansai Style), a salmon nigiri and the chicken bento box. Not a lot of places serves Okonomiyaki. It was pretty authentic. I really enjoyed it. The bento box was ok. I really liked the salmon nigiri. Overall, prices were definitely on the higher end. The place was clean and bright when we arrived. It was interesting when we walked in, a little boy (age 6) walked up to us and sat us down at the table. There are plenty of free parking on the side street. Overall, I would recommend trying this place. Note: this place is ran by Japanese people (they really know how to make good, yummy, tasty Japanese food). read more

See all

Cute little family restaurant is a little gem. It's a smaller restaurant but it definitely gives you a authentic Japanese vibe. The server was wearing traditional Japanese attire and greeted us. The whole experience was nice! Ambiance was good and price was good! We ordered the special of the day sashimi and it was delicious. It was presented on a slab of ice so it was the right temperature upon devouring it. Uni was on the menu as well. I didn't like the green leaf they used in the nigiri and the uni wasn't as sweet as I remembered it to be. Shrimp tempura was my fave! I probably could have inhaled 24 pieces to myself. The batter was so light and crispy! This is a must get! We got Cali roll, Scallop roll, chicken teriyaki and yakisoba all great and the rolls tasted fresh and great quality. I will come back! Try these read more

See all

I don't find myself out in the Dunbar area that frequently but, after an enjoyable visit to MOA in the beginning of September, we stopped by Kuma Japanese Restaurant on Dunbar (across from the Tim Horton's and liquor store). There didn't seem to be many other shops on this street that were still open (guessing that they might eventually turn this block into condos...). This is a fairly small Japanese eatery but had some interesting choices on the menu. The first dish to arrive at our table was the Assorted Sashimi ($21.30 Chef's Choice of 12 pieces). We were actually pretty impressed with the sashimi quality... 2 pieces of wild salmon, 2 pieces of slightly fatty salmon, 2 pieces of tuna, 3 pieces of tako (octopus), 2 pieces of plump scallops, and 4 slices of hokkigai (surf clam). The next dish to arrive at our table was the Spicy Agedashi Tofu ($5.05) - the sauce reminded me of the spicy sauce you get at Korean restaurants. Nice crispness to the exterior of the tofu. We also ordered their Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box ($13.05). While the sashimi and agedashi tofu were a bit slow to come out, the bento box was painfully slow to come out... it was about another 15 minutes after we received our first dishes. We did notice that another party came in after us and received their bento boxes way before we did. On the plus side, the food is actually made quite well. The thing that turned me off a bit was how slow our bento box came out (especially when people who come in after us and order after us receive the same dish before we do). read more

See all

There were only two of us but we did manage to try their Okonomiyaki. Not every local Japanese-owned indie makes this so-called Japanese pizza, so we opted for it. We complemented it with a couple of sushi rolls. So this food review focuses on the Okonomiyaki and the service. The "pizza" came out very presentable​ on a warm plate complete with a fancy set up. Size wise it is a bit on the small size, both in diameter and thickness. It was, nonetheless, tasty and so points there! It is quite flavourful and does remind me of the "real thing" in Osaka, where this is most famous (along with takoyaki). Next time in Osaka, please do try their version over there in a small, small restaurant with only 8 seats. They'll cook it right before your eyes, literally a foot away with the grill pretty well in front of you. Then served right up piping hot. Otherwise, I do appreciate the family indie feel of it all. No hurry, just let the good food take time to cook and enjoy your company! read more

First time here and I was really impressed with the atmosphere. It's kind of a small place but they have about 12 tables mostly two persons but could easily be pushed together for more seating. My friend and I came around lunch time and both ordered the pork okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) with yakisoba which is an extra $2.50. We were super excited for this because we don't have anything like this in Seattle. It took maybe 15-20 minutes to come out and it was sizzling! The first bite of the pancake was a little too salty for me but the yakisoba was really good! Here's what killed it for me though: about half way through the meal I found a blond hair in my okonomiyaki and the waitress seemed completely unapologetic about it. She took it and almost tried to imply that it was my hair because I have short brown/blond hair saying something like it doesn't seemed like "ours". I regret not taking a photo of the hair in the pancake before showing her but I just lost my appetite so easily. Usually hair in my food doesn't disgust me THAT much just because i know humans shed but it was the lack of customer service that disappointed me the most. I will not be returning. In total one okonomiyaki with yakisoba was about $18. They didn't offer to give me a discount or pay for my meal either even though I finished less than half of it. Food looks good but be aware. Also beginning July 1, 2017 they will be raising their prices. I can't imagine paying any more for hairy food. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Pork okonomiyaki with yakisoba - $18 - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The atmosphere was quiet not like any other restaurant loud. The service could have been a little more something just can't think of the word. They explain in menu for certain items you order would take some time. Which was good because for the first time trying the dish it was yummy and full filling. It's best if you make reservations to get a table or you will be waiting 20 -30 mins depending how busy. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

This is a really nice little restaurant! The sushi tasted great and the takoyaki was delicious! read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Tried the Nabeyaki Udon on a cool, rainy day... OYISHI The broth was very tasty and the tempura were made on the spot. You can taste the difference of freshly made tempura vs. some old and stale premade ones. I just wish it is slightly bigger in volume because I can eat quite a bit, plus it was so good... LOL read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Nabeyaki Udon - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Yes I'm pushing them to 5 stars because after dining out so often at so many Japanese restaurants in Canada. This is the best place for us to have Tempura, spicy tuna roll and okonomiyaki.we always come back for this trio of 5 star dishes and it's worth the effort to come here. It's never too busy, always comforting to dine here and parking is never an issue. So if you happen to hanker for these items we love, then you'll likely love it as much as we do too. read more

We had a family dinner here the other night and many of us ordered Okonomiyaki, we were pleasantly surprise when we took our first taste. It was without compare the best Okonomiyaki we have ever eaten. And some of us had lived in Japan. What an amazing surprise for such an unassuming restaurant tucked away on Dunbar street. I would say this is one of Vancouver's hidden gems. The owners and staff were very gracious and the services was excellent. When I complement them on their food they told me that these were family recipes from a small village of 3000 in southern Japan. So their was a lot of what I would call soul in their food. I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation, especially if you are a lover of Okonomiyaki. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

In the Dunbar area, there is no match for Kuma when it comes to delicious, fresh, authentic sushi. In your typical dine-in experience at Kuma, you will see that all the waitresses wear kimono. It brings such a cool atmosphere to the little restaurant. Maximum capacity is (or used to be, before the pandemic) ~20 patrons only, so each experience was very special and personalized. Nowadays, they are only open for take-out! But the quality and care that they put into their food remains the same. Many have mentioned it in previous reviews and I will mention it again: GET. THE. KANSAI. STYLE. OKONOMIYAKI. I don't care what protein you choose - seafood, pork, beef, veggie - ALL OF THEM ARE DELICIOUS. Make sure you get it with yakisoba. And add cheese if you want - it doesn't really add or subtract from the okonomiyaki experience for me. Since being accustomed to the Kuma okonomiyaki, every other okonomiyaki I've had has been disappointing. It is REALLY that good. As for their other menu items, I love their selection of nigiri! I always get a selection of uni, saba, toro, fatty salmon, or any specials they have in their catch of the day (amaebi, hamachi, etc). The fish is always incredible and extremely fresh. Also, all the neighbouring restaurants/businesses have closed! I hope that if Kuma is forced to relocate (probably due to zoning or development plans) that they'll open somewhere lively and continue their business. I love this restaurant! read more

Food is expensive but their okonomiyaki is unlike any other place i've tried. Their rolls are pretty good but a little heavy on the rice meaning I would only return for their specialty. Ordered the unagi roll, negitoro (very little fish inside) and a special roll called sakura roll with spicy tuna and chopped scallop on top. Flavours were pretty decent but the restaurant is very very small. Nice service and worth a try especially if you're tired of waiting for Jethros! read more

See all

This place is a real hidden gem in an area almost devoid of cute, cozy, charming hole in the wall restaurants. When the late afternoon sun poured through the front windows, it was like divine light shining on my spicy tuna sashimi (which, by the way, was perfectly presented on a bed of ice). The spicy tuna sashimi packed an aromatic punch, and came in small chunks -- which I thoroughly enjoyed, because some places just willy nilly throw down ginormous, carelessly cut sashimi I can't even fit into my mouth. This place also has generous portioned and delicious okonomiyaki. It takes a bit of time to cook if you decide to order it, but the 15ish minute wait is well worth it. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Spicy tuna sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

So I don't usually write reviews for restaurants, but I felt like I had to ABSOLUTELY write something about this fabulous GEM of a restaurant that I ate at just yesterday! My friend and I were famished and found this place by chance while on the way to an event. Let me give you a breakdown of my ratings for this restaurant. Here were some of the dishes we had: 1- Oyakodon [Chicken & Egg + RICE dish] + Miso Soup 2- Hamachi [Yellowtail] Sashimi 3- Yam tempura [6 pieces] 4- Alaska Roll 5- Potato Croquette [2 pieces] [Side note, we were in a group of 4 total, but my friend and I shared the above menu items. But I also got to try their Takoyaki and pan-fried Gyoza AND BOY ARE THEY DELICIOUS] ~Ambience - 5/5 [Despite being a smaller restaurant, it was clean, and had a very Rustic, and aesthetic feel to it that was inviting] ~Food Quality & Presentation - 5/5 [The plating for our sashimi was so authentic like the work of an upscale restaurant. And not to mention the food was extremely fresh for raw foods, and nice and hot for the deep fried dishes] ~Service - 5/5 [The waiters, who were extremely pretty and well-dressed in their yukata mind you, were very polite and constantly checked on our table to refill our tea so it was never empty] ~Overall Price - 5/5 [Honestly, for the amazing quality of the food and the portions, my friend and I paid about $50 altogether, which is pretty reasonable considering the location and amazing serice] My only complaint has to be that because I live in Surrey, I am unable to frequent this quaint Gem of an Eatery because of the distance, but I hope to return again soon! read more

I have to say that i had like the best bowl of Udon here!!! The noodles were delicious and the broth had the perfect amount of flavour! I orderd the Tempera Udon, and the tempura was crispy and wonderful! Pieces of deep fried prawns, kabocha (pumpkin) beans and zuccini that went so well with it! Also had BBQ Eel rolls that just melt in your mouth! I am so glad i don't live close to here or else i would want to eat here for all the meals! Can't wait till the next time i am in the area!!! read more

Friendly with exceptional quality sushi, reasonably priced! We've gotten used to getting organized for take-out (sake to go too!) and look forward to dining in again. read more

A-ma-zing. The food was delicious and the service was great. Also, the place is really cozy. Oh, and great prices too! read more

This is my favorite neighborhood sushi restaurant! It's family owned and run. The food is always fresh and delicious. The staff is very nice and friendly. The wait times are due to small staff and lots of neighborhood orders. I've always been treated friendly. Not sure why some odd reviews? I highly recommend for good eating. It reminds me of traditional Japanese family restaurants. read more

Came here for okonomiyaki after seeing the yelp reviews and was not disappointed! We ordered the seafood okonomiyaki. My partner thought that there was a bit too much cabbage and that the batter was a tad too runny (we were hoping it would be chewier and less crunchy and soft) but everything else was perfect! Would definitely come back. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

I can't quite give them 2 stars but I certainly have had better. We came here with a group of us for sushi and we were all disappointed. We are from Seattle. The salmon sashimi had good flavor and texture but 2 of the 3 pieces of fish had BONES in them. Wth!? That is just not ok. I liked the miso and seaweed salad. The hamachi sashimi was okay. The restaurant is very cute. Sadly when I am in Vancouver next I will go elsewhere. Bones in sashimi is just too much to merit a repeat visit. read more

I'm from Osaka, where Okonomi Yaki is well known. I must admit this restaurant, Kuma or Bear in English, has one of the best Okonomi Yakis in Vancouver, maybe BC for sure. Their Okonomi Yaki is so fluffy and about and inch tall!!! Everyone must try their Okonomi Yaki! read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Okonomi Yaki with Yakisoba noodles @Kuma - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Food is just ok but over priced & service is not very good. And beware they don't follow the hours they have listed online. Call before u make the trip. read more

small place in the hood very traditional Japanese sushi they have very adorable young waitress the food is good, but okonomi is not my cup of tea. unagi nigiri is good. I like their moccha ice cream read more

This place is fantastic. It is small but that just adds to the cozy factor. I have been there twice and both times enjoyed the Osaka style Okonomiyaki. My second time was with a Japanese friend who vouched for the authentic taste. I love it that they can be ordered with seafood, chicken or pork. Something for everyone! So far my only regret has been not ordering enough, because I get too full. The rolls, seaweed salad, and the miso soup served here are great too! the only thing I thought was not that special was the friend Mackerel and I usually love it. read more

Kuma Japanese Restaurant - Okonomiyaki - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This place is unreal. Every time I eat here I'm blown away by the quality of the food. The Queen and Canucks Roll are both delicious, and the Firefighter Roll is superb as well. I especially like their Toro Sashimi, and their Miso Soup is always packed with flavour. read more

The chicken bento box was above average. The california roll was great, tempura was fresh but chicken was alright. Overall enjoyed it. Will be back for the Okonomi-Yaki. read more

Kuma is easily the best Japanese restaurant in the Dunbar area. The atmosphere is very cozy, their service is authenic and prompt, and the sushi is delicious (fresh too!). But what I really come here for is the okonomiyaki - it is out of this world. I come here at least once a week and often bring Japanese friends who have never had okonomiyaki in Vancouver. They say it's very authentic. Their prices are a little higher than most places, but it is very very worth it. read more

It's amazingggg!!!!! You have to go to try their authentic okonomiyaki!!!!! It's sooooooo good!!! Also the sushi is delicious! Totally recommend it to everyone :))) Going there now!! :) haha read more

I was between rating this place between two and three stars. The food was good but the service was not. I called and ordered some food for pick-up. I was told that the food would be ready in 30 minutes. That wasn't a big problem. I arrived at Kuma in 40 minutes and so I expected that the food would be ready and waiting. When I got in I was told that they are still making my food. I was told to sit on a small chair in the "waiting area" of the restaurant. It is a small place so it was cramped to sit and wait. I wasn't offered a table to wait or anything. I then proceeded to wait another 20 minutes for my food to be ready. They never acknowledged me, or offered any sort of tea while I waited so long for my food to be ready. Finally, after a combined 55 minutes from the time I placed my call, my food was ready. The food was very good. I have to say that. Maybe this is the type of place that you have to actually eat at in order to get your food in a reasonable amount of time? I may change this rating if I decide to try this place out again. read more