This small Japanese restaurant is operated by its Japanese owner who runs the sushi bar and the tables. I heard that his wife is the chef who runs the kitchen in the back. One weekday lunch time the restaurant was full with only 4 seats left. After seated ourselves, behind the counter the owner asked us with a smile to help ourselves with either water or hot tea. My friend and I ordered the same thing: lunch bento box with sashimi, one with teriyaki chicken and one with beef. It comes with miso soup and a bowl of rice. The miso soup had a good quantity of seaweed and tofu, and the soup had a good proportion of miso content. When the bento box arrived, everything looked fresh. Not only did it come with green salad but also potato salad, which both were very fresh. The teriyaki chicken and the tempura (2 shrimps, 4 pieces of vegetables) were well cooked. The skin was crispy and not soggy. The sashimi was very fresh also. Having the slice of orange was a nice finish. My friend finished everything while I had to pack up the rice which I was only able to have 2 bites, majority of the chicken and a piece of tempura. The packing process was also self helped from getting the box to packing. It was understandable that the owner was by himself in the front. For the quality of food, I would go again and try their à la carte next time. read more

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I always wanted to try this place since I live nearby. The only issue is that they don't always open during the hours they are posted/supposed to be open. B got the Tonkatsu and I got the Unagi Combo and a milktea. Their milktea is not worth $3 because it is basically Kirin milk tea. Save your money and just buy 1 litre of Kirin milktea at Walmart for $2.98. The unagi combo is pretty meh. Very skimpy on the unagi. The Tonkatsu is also meh. This place recently changed management. It is not authentic Japanese food. I would save my money and go elsewhere. We came here during lunch time and the restaurant was dead. Unless they change, they might not survive. Decor is a hit and miss. Looks like recently they had a roof leak based on the water stain. Note that this restaurant charges 2% if you choose to pay by credit card. Another reason, why I would likely not be back. read more

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The same business name but the Japanese husband and wife restaurant owners retired in April or May. It is now under new management. Different menu, a different variety of items. Faster service but not the same taste in the food-hence the three stars. read more

Makoto Japanese Restaurant - New management, new menu May 2026 - Japanese Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

We were looking for a sushi spot near deer Lake and decided to try Makoto. We thought the lunch bentos were such a good deal! It was quiet inside when we arrived but more ppl trickled in by the time we started eating. I liked their Alaska roll but thought the dynamite roll was a little small. The chicken yakiudon was a decent sized dish but I found the udon too oily. This is a nice neighborhood sushi place to stop by for some affordable and tasty Japanese eats. read more

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Been ages since we've been back to Makoto. Same Japanese husband and wife combo. We dropped in on an early Sunday (around 5:30pm). Mostly people coming in to pickup takeout. Nice that they had a heater on keeping things toasty inside. No more cheap $2.00 saba nigiri. - Assorted sashimi ($28.00 for 12) - three salmon, three tuna, two hokkigai, two tako and two tai. Salmon and the hokkigai were the best pieces. Good quality but on the thin side. - Futomaki ($7.00 for 5) - the sakur denbu (seasoned ground codfish) was not to my liking; sweet like sugar. My least favourite item that we ordered. - Umeshiso roll ($4.00) - love the touch of sour/tartness. - Negitoro roll ($4.00) - excellent. - Chopped scallop roll ($6.00) - mediocre. Too much rice, not much scallop. - Nigiri - two saba ($3.00 each), toro ($4.00), hamachi ($4.00) and tamago ($2.50). Everything was delicious but the saba nigiri is still the best thing to order. Makoto's remains a 3.5 star in my books. read more

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Cozy little spot - their ramen is so good! Most things are self-served such as the tea and water. Since it is a mom-and-pop shop, they tend to get busy and service may be a little slow. read more

They are currently only doing takeout orders. I would recommend calling ahead of time to order. The sushi chef makes the sushi, takes the orders and closing the sales. It can take a little while as they are quite short handed.I think the sushi chef is the owner as well and he is pretty friendly and chill guy. The food is pretty good for the price. We were amazed that they have ume shiso rolls. Not a lot of Japanese restaurants serve that. We ordered California roll, umeshiso roll, beef teriyaki roll, paradise roll and chicken yakisoba. We will come back for more :) read more

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Tastes like Japan! The sushi rice was perfect. The tempura was fried perfectly crisp on the outside. Their tea is special and high quality and tasted so fragrant in flavour and aroma. The miso soup was one of the best I've had. Very fine tasting with real tofu bits and seaweed with fresh green onion. Tried the bento A and B and both the chicken and beef were juicy and went well with the steamed rice. The potato salad tasted like it was made from scratch, but was a little bland. Sushi rice was perfect and the sushi and sashimi were fresh and good. A solid standard Japanese restaurant. read more

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The restaurant was empty and we had it to ourselves on a Wednesday night. It was perfect. We ordered and heard the fryer start up. Soon after our food was ready. So yummy and hot! This is just what we needed read more

Makoto Japanese Restaurant - Tempura Chicken Don - Japanese Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

This is definitely a hidden gem run by a Japanese family. There aren't many tables 9 tables of 2 which can otherwise be converted to groups. They always have a board telling you what the fresh fish of the day from Japan is. The owner is extremely helpful and hardworking. The only issue is probably the service may be slightly slow when they're busy because he does everything himself at the front. (Including cutting sashimi!) most people that come here are regulars. The menu is conventional Japanese. Nothing really outstanding but he always makes me feel like I came into a little Japanese place with the true Japanese spirit. Love to support local businesses like this. read more

Came here on a recommendation of a friend. Best method of restaurant hunting. If you aren't familiar with the area, you'd probably drive by without even noticing, as the adjacent businesses are non-food and therefore closed on weekends. Parking is available on the street out front. You may have to walk 50m or so if you're unlucky, but it's nothing bad. The interior looks a bit dated, but is still classy. I liked the wall decor. Plain, but tasteful. The restaurant is literally a mom and pop operation. The dad is the waiter/server, and the mom is the cook. They put a lot of effort and pride into their food, and it shows. Best of all, they are actually Japanese, so you know the food is going to be good. I had a chance to try a variety of pieces of sushi. The ingredients were fresh, which is always a good thing. There is a $10.50 lunch special combo where you choose 2 items off a list. The bento box combos are definitely more pricey at $10-13, and while the food is good, the quantity for the price leaves a bit to be desired. Fortunately, it does come with a bowl of rice, which does help to fill up the stomach. One last thing worth mentioning is that the salmon they use isn't farmed, which is nice. If you are in the area, this place is definitely worth checking out. read more

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I highly highly highly recommend the "Saba" here. Saba roll is hands down the best I've had in lower mainland. If you are a Saba fan, you must try this! If they are out of Saba roll, try the aburi Saba, paired with shiso ponzu sauce is to die for... must must try if you are a Saba fan! I can't emphasize more! Now I need to add another NEW favourite! They have the best agedashi tofu! MUST TRY! it's perfectly balanced with sauce, crispy skin and tenderness of the tofu! read more

I said to myself when I first entered Makoto: "hmmm, a real hole in the wall sushi place!" because judging from outside and the interior it is so bland and not even fancy. Then my friend told me it is been here in the same location for over a decade and the chef is the owner... Well, maybe I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I actually quite like to eat here, food is good, price not that cheap but still affordable. I didn't find the service slow at all (as other customers' comment in their review). There are quite a few other restaurants catering different tastes in the neighbourhood. I am pretty sure I shall return soon :) read more

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Note - closed Oct 15-31, 2018 for vacation. Authentic Japanese food, the sushi chef and his wife (who cooks hot food in the back) run the place. The food is good and fresh and we come quite often. Lots of daily specials. Be warned that the sushi chef has quite a gruff attitude sometimes, and I saw him tell a young family with kids (in advance) to make sure their kids didn't cause a disturbance - the cute little girls were just sitting quietly, however their parents were shocked with his statement and the whole family got up and left. I think he's a nice guy, but his sense of humour may get lost in his attitude sometimes. read more

A mom and pop shop I stumbled upon 'cause the japanese restaurant next door was closed. I'm glad we decided to go in 'cause they're food is not bad. The few dishes I really enjoyed were the tempura soba noodles (5/5). It was very refreshing for a summer day (it's a late post). The tempura batter was really light and not oily at all. I also ordered the Volcano (4/5) roll which is pretty good. It's a California roll with chopped scallops on top and this black (sesame mayo?) sauce on top. I also liked their nigiri's which we got him to aburi (4/5). It went down really weird. I saw some yelp photo's of aburi nigiri but he told us he doesn't offer it. Then we were like oh maybe it's a hidden menu for vip's or something. He must have overheard us and went like 'you want aburi? I can aburi but extra cost". In the end, we got it aburi'ed. I also loved their uni (5/5). It's flown from japan. Sooo good. The beef tataki (3/5) was ok. I found the ponzu sauce a bit too sour. Good food but service was a bit odd. Apart from the above, we were also not given any bowls or plates to share and when asked we were given one..... someone doesn't wanna do dishes lol. read more

Hands down one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in the lower mainland. Don't expect the greatest service because the owner runs both the sushi bar and front of house (I usually refill the teapot myself). Nabeyaki Udon is top notch here and the deep fried California Roll is a personal staple. Make sure to call in first, seating is limited and I notice their are usually reserved plaques on tables. read more

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If you are looking for a more authentic Japanese styled sushi place, this is the place to go. No fancy style sushi or fancy saucy rolls. The best is the nigiri. The balance of rice and fish is perfect. Try their aburi nigiri sometimes. It's not on the menu but you can always request it at no extra charge. If you are someone who enjoys simple, fresh sashimi without too much dressing and seasoning, but just the simple sweetness of the fish, then this is the place to go. read more

We have been coming here for many years and are always delighted. The food is fabulous, service fast and the owner is the chef, host, server all in one! I feel lucky to have such a quality sushi place in our neighborhood! read more

Came here with my friend and bf one day because our friend mentioned it was really good. Just a heads up, this place was self-serve where you serve your own tea because it was run by only two brothers who did everything! The day we got there, just one brother was present! My friend just ordered their BBQ eel on rice while my bf went crazy on his order (with me sharing of course). My bf ordered their large sockeye sashimi and cold soba noodles on their regular menu, then he ordered food off their special menu like their corn croquette, aji nigiri (2 pieces), BBQ grilled squid and black cod. The Japanese man thought my bf was ordering a few items so he was just going to remember his order but as my bf kept going, he told my bf to wait while he punches the order into the cashier LOL poor Japanese man =\ The man was surprised my bf kept going because he said "more?" in amazement. My friend and I felt so bad because each item that my bf ordered had a different cooking/preparation technique which that man had to do them all. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time which was impressive by one Japanese man who also had another customer waiting for food. The portions were quite small but they were all so tasty. The black cod was pricey at $14.50, and there was just one piece of it but it was so tender and flavorful. The corn croquettes were so cute because they were shaped like chicken nuggets and it was cooked just right - crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with pieces of corn in it. At the end of our meal, my bf wasn't that full and he wanted to order more but I told him not to. Also, the Japanese man came by with our bill and said "full now?" haha The man wanted to take a break from cooking which my bf could understand so he pretended he was full. My bf said to him "thanks for the service" and the man said "what service?" LOL The Japanese man also said to us "see you tomorrow" hahah He was such a cute man. Overall, we would all definitely come back if we are in the neighborhood. read more

I have been to Makoto a couple of times before and one thing is constant - service was VERY SLOW. But one evening ruined it because my family decided to celebrate my Mom's birthday there for dinner. I thought it would be nice to surprise my mom with a cake so I called the restaurant ahead of time and asked if I can bring a cake and have it served after our meal - the lady I spoke with said it was okay. So I brought the cake to the restaurant before my parents came. After waiting about 45 minutes for our meal, we had dinner and I asked the server if she can bring the cake out. After five minutes, the owner came to our table and asked me to go over the sushi bar, behind the counter. He yells "We are so busy here, you serve your own cake!!!" -- I was completely stunned. Then the lady server was about to put the candle on the cake and then the owner yelled at her while grabbing the candle from her hand and then told me "YOU PUT YOUR OWN CANDLE AND LIGHT IT YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!" while handing me the lighter. At this point, I didn't realize that the entire restaurant (it is a VERY SMALL restaurant) was looking at us - that includes my parents, brother, sister-in-law, fiancé and my future parents-in-law. All the guests were shocked with what just happened. I lit the candle and brought the cake over to our table - still stunned in disbelief. I have never been disrespected and embarrassed like that my entire life. After dinner, my fiancé did talk to the owner and told him that what he did was very unprofessional. If they did not want to serve cake, he could have said it in a more polite and respectful way. I will NEVER go back to this restaurant and will definitely tell all my family and friends about this sad story. read more

Authentic Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby!! I was totally surprised when my friend told me this was an authentic Japanese restaurant. I do enjoy them the most as they have a great vibe to them. I can say this is really one of the jems in Vancouver! It is small and uptight, but the service is very attentive. They refilled their tea for us all the time. I can realize that they can not stand a lot of chaos but I still love the place. Their fish was cut up properly, and the rice was well made. The nigiri sushi was well packed and the taste was totally up to par. I can for sure say this is the best place for a great price. The tempura was perfectly fried and it was nice and crispy. It was fried in fresh oil, and there was no bad oil after taste. Very crispy and very VERY big. They are totally not called shrimps but prawns. I have to say something though that I DID NOT EXPECT. Their washrooms were SPECTACULAR. I was like WHOA, did not expect their washrooms to be stoned flooring with cement, the decor inside was dark but very pretty, and the taps were very modern. I was like WHOA. Even though the washrooms were small, I think I can eat my food in there while on the can. XD I will come back here with some friends next time and maybe come for some drinks on a Canucks night! Yes, they have a flat screen TV. read more

Was planning to STEM next door but was closed. Too lazy to drive anyway so tried this one. Small place run by Japanese. Food looks normal but taste not bad. Not pricy but also not cheap I think. read more

I'm surprised that this place is well received. The chef I met was Japanese, but his cooking did not reflect that. The rice was poor and the taste of the fish was poor. My wife and I ordered some Sushi, a teriyaki beef don and an udon. All of them tasted below par for any Japanese restaurant let alone one run by a Japanese chef. Hopefully for them it was an off day, because I'm not going back. read more

Small quaint restaurant. Run by husband and wife (she runs the back). Sushi tastes homemade and very fresh. Sushi rice is great because it doesn't have a strong vinegar taste at all. Service is actually quite fast- food came around the same time. Since husband is alone at the front, it's understandable as to why some things are self-serve. Ordered combo b, tonkatsu, and uni sashimi. Everything was completely worth it, especially the uni sashimi. Was so fresh! Did not leave any fishy taste whatsoever. Will definitely come back again read more

I almost feel sorry for giving it 3 stars. I went there about 6 months ago. I couldn't decide whether to give it a 4 or 3. I decided to give it a 3 since I don't crave to go back (which is a sign it didn't deserve my 4 stars). What I liked about it: Great parking right in front of the restaurant. Clean washroom with character (I like to judge restaurant washrooms), friendly/genuine service, and decent tasting food. We order sashimi salad, tempura, salmon maki, negitoro maki, sockeye sashimi and oyster motoyaki. What really turned me off was there weren't any servers. So the chef (I think he's the owner, he also prepared the sashimi by the sashimi bar!) was running around, taking orders, handling cash payments, credit card machines, AND slicing our sashimi. I hope he did wash his hands before handling my food. But the image of how he hussled around touching cash AND raw food really ingrained in my mind every time I thought about Makoto... read more

Tried this place out last week as they were closing, at the recommendation of a friend. Called first to confirm closing time, and were out on hold ten minutes before getting a definitive answer. It's a tiny, almost cramped space, looked a bit unkempt. Our table needed a good wipe down. Ordered, food seemed fresh and tasty, well presented. Second round of ordering was the last, and I grabbed some chicken skewers, which I discovered after eating one, were raw in the middle. I didn't eat it, the waitress made no comment, and my partner and I (even though we ate completely different things) were both very ill the rest of the night. Doubt either of us will be back again. read more

Whenever we go to a event at the nearby Michael J Fox theatre we stop here for lunch or dinner. Chef and owner runs the place almost single handed it seems, amazing. Sort of a gruff, no nonsense man but he keeps the good food coming so I treat it as a amusing quirky restaurant experience! Sushi is very good, good price for the quality and quantity. My favourite is the tonkatsu which melts in your mouth, a real winner. read more

4.5 star Really good sushi. Rice is well cooked. Nice real Japanese owned restaurant. Service can improve a bit. It feels like the server was not well trained. (now I think of it, the server is prob owner's son). The sushi is not over sized. Fish are fresh. Nigiri is about $1.25 ~ $1.50 to start. Some rolls are bit more. Compare to some other real Japanese owned restaurant, the price are similar. Compare to sushi garden, price is bit more, but you also get better made sushi too. This shop is similar to fuji sushi on north road. Experienced real Japanese chief making delicious well made sushi. Good for people who Are willing to pay more for better food and service. read more

Middle of nowhere, solid 3.5 family-run Japanese restaurant. Their daily blackboard specials usually requires about 5 minutes of translation from the waitress. Lot of unfamiliar "white fish from Japan" sushi descriptions. Some solid items include the Mango Paradise roll, agedashi tofu, and their summer ramen - cold ramen noodles in a light soy vinegar sauce, with pickled cabbage, shredded ham, mushrooms. Also, one of the best and blackest sesame gelato I've ever had. The chef/owner is very kind and sometimes sends complimentary bites to our table. read more

Tasted everything in Burnaby - best sushi. Rice cooked right and seaweed tastes real. Finally...a Japnese owned restaurant real to its heritage. "Makoto"(good) better than "Nao Sushi"(okay) way better "Sushi Garden"(garbage). read more

Very good quality Japanese food. Just be prepared to wait. I've been here twice so far. Once for a weekend lunch and once for dinner. The food is excellent. The staff are minimal. The time I came for lunch I think the one man was running the entire joint by himself, from food, to serving, everything. For dinner, the place was full, with only one server, one sushi chef, and one kitchen chef. Yikes! However, service was very pleasant, and the food was totally worth the wait. It's not cheap sushi, so you pay a little more than your average hole-in-the-wall sushi joint, but it is great quality. The tuna melts in your mouth, and the flavours are superb. I had the spicy agedashi tofu, which was in a killer broth with some hot sauce. The tofu itself was not my favourite. I like it a bit crispier on the outside, but the broth was so good it made up for it. The tuna sashimi was also awesome. Gomae was all right. Not the best, but still quite good. Try and visit here when it isn't so busy. read more

Amazing food! Amazing service! I felt like it was my home when I was there. It was a mom and pop shop run by hardworking people. I had sockeye salmon sashimi and Philadelphia roll. Both were AMAZING!! I am a visitor to Burnaby but I promise I will be back to Makoto! read more

I honestly don't remember what was ordered for me but it was fantastic! The first roll had seared tuna on it and the other one was called a Volcano roll. Both were delicious. Also had the chicken karaage and beef short ribs. Very tasty also. The man running the place (chef, server, etc) was very nice and pleasant. Will definitely come back again. read more

I'd love to give them a 3.5 really, but if I had to choose, they get a 3. The sushi is fine, but like many others, I wish they'd put more effort into their sushi rice. Pretty decent value, and the sushi is fine though. They do have some creative rolls (well, I suppose lots of people are doing the same creative rolls), but I always struggle to pay close to $10 for a single roll, no matter how fancy it looks. I'll eat there when I crave japanese close to home, but I wouldn't tell anyone to go out of their way for it. read more

I went here with my family for dinner just now. The service was painful. There seemed to be two people working -- one in the kitchen and the chef himself. He wasn't clearing tables at all. I asked for a substitution on one combo because I can't have the fake crab. Aggressively he tells me this is impossible. I tell him that I'll pay the difference and he reiterates that this is not possible and that I must order the items separately. Weird. The sushi itself was ok, but not what I was expecting. The rolls were abnormally small (ala AYCE size). The 'spicy' dynamite roll was the normal dynamite roll but caked in sauce. Not good. Everyone seems to be saying that this place is authentic, and maybe it is -- maybe it was an off-night. Regardless, I won't bother going back. Service: 0/5 Food:3/5 Space: 1/5 (its very cramped -- and pretty gross if they arent actively clearing tables) read more

3.5 Star, 4 for this neighbourhood. As not many sushi place are Japanese run, this is a local joint with a creative sushi chef. Hard to find Authentic Japanese these days. I have been here 10 time at least over the last 3yr. Don't expect fast or prompt service then you are fine. It's casual small place. Only in evening one waiter/press services the place. The yakisoba and udon are decent. If you are hungry. The dinner for two combos are very filling. Try their COMBO dinner A or B. The rolls are terrific. Try the Rainbow roll, Rumble roll,dragon roll or the deep fried tempura like roll. Never been disappointed. Their lunch menu is good value too.Our friends are regulars here. We have had several friends hooked on this place. It's fresh. read more

My group and I purchased the chicken karage, spicy Dynamite roll, chicken katsu don, chicken udon, tofu, mochie, and ice cream. Every dish was excellent and the server was very nice and funny. Not very busy so it's a great low key place to go read more

Just called for reservations and got hung up on because we had too many kids. We were making a reservation for 6 adults and 5 kids...

Since we live in the neighborhood, we got 2 takeout sushi trays based on the reviews. Boy, were we ever disappointed. Bland rolls and the fish was not fresh. Perhaps, it was fortunate for us the portions were also quite small. We won't be going back. Hopefully others have a better experience. read more

Great price and quality combination for local sushi. Kid friendly and I really enjoy the crispy California roll. Call ahead to reserve if you can for busy nights. Good beer specials and saki available as well. Just had JJ roll, now bumping to five star! Also good for pickup. read more