LUNCH: Sablefish entree, Premium Selection Sablefish was cooked to perfection. The pickles served with it were so delicate in taste and complimented the meal perfectly. The rice under the fish was full of flavor and crunch. The toastes sesame... Delightful. Premium Selection of Nigiri, Sashimi, Aburi - 12pcs !! Super value for such EXQUISITE tastes!! Literally some of the best sushi I've had outside of Japan. I was blown away by the tiniest of flavor enhancements on each piece. They brought Aburi to Canada and they are likely still the best at it!!!! Each one was next level with its sear and smokiness and unique taste differences. The saba was off the hook - I may get just a few more of those next visit. Even the shrimp. And the salmon aburi too... layers of incredible. Have I used enough adjectives yet? Attentive wait staff ... accommodated mods with perfection and professionalism. They literally set the tone at the start and it was delight throughout. I also saw a pretty awesome Whiskey Selection and a very friendly bartender - I'm sure they're drinks are awesome too. If I lived in Vancouver, I'd be here monthly!! Perfect for impressing anyone!! read more

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Quite possibly the best sushi ever! Had both of their lunch rolls. Not once. Not twice. But three orders. It was that good.

What an experience! When you walk in it feels very fancy. There is a lot of seating area but rather than chance it we made a reservation for our party of 6. The staff was very friendly. I enjoyed the hostess and the two servers who helped us. It was a bit slow, it took 10 minutes from sitting to get our drinks which I thought was a bit crazy for the $600 USD we paid for the evening. What saved this as a 5 star was the food. It was phenomenal. So fresh. I live in a land locked state so anytime I'm near the ocean I try to go to a quality sushi place and boy oh boy did this deliver. 9/10 would recommend the food. Even one person in our party didn't like fish and had the steak which was just melt in your mouth delicious. This place is very expensive but the food for me was worth it. read more

Minami - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

My fiancé and I have come to Vancouver, from Seattle, for 3 years now and we always make sure to come to Minami for dinner. This year we came back twice in one weekend! The salmon oshi is our favorite. The unagi nigiri is some of the best we have ever had. The chicken karage was so tender and delicious. The service is fantastic, always very attentive and conversational. We came back two nights in a row and our waitress from the first night made time to say hi even though she wasn't covering our table on the second night. We can't wait to come back during our next visit! read more

Lovely place to have cocktails and savor creative, scrumptious sushi. Service is outstanding. You will not be disappointed. read more

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I do not understand some of the positive reviews here. The sushi is decent. The place and employees are nice. But the portions for the price is maddening. We literally walked out after eating there mad, which is a first. Specifically, the dish with the steak and an insulting amount of mashed potatoes. It was quite literally a spoonful of mashed potatoes smeared onto the plate with steak on top. As if that was impressive to anyone. I wish I took a photo. Both of the dish and mine and my wife's expression when the waiter put the plate down. It was $40-$60 for essentially and small appetizer. read more

Definitely get the aburi sushi options ! All were great! All the food ordered was amazing I'd say the only thing that wasn't worth it was the sashimi platter, value was quite off on that. Great service, nice ambiance and lots of delicious food! read more

Minami's inventiveness goes beyond the blowtorch and into how dishes are visually presented. We decided to see the restaurant in action with their Minami Shokai tasting menu ($150) and a premium sake flight ($35), which we hoped would sip well with all the food. Slices of miso duck arrive laid on a slightly stale and hard puff pastry, which does little to add to the dish other than make it look more substantial. The duck breast, just cooked through, was a lovely balance of meat & fat and the miso just enough to give it flavour. It's an interesting choice to start with such a strong protein, yet when paired with fruits helps lighten the dish. Traditions are certainly thrown out the window as sushi comes before sashimi, six eye-catching pieces of it. The lovely creations take time to prepare, so the rice arrives too cold (and could benefit from more vinegar). I guess you don't go to Minami for the rice, instead the gold leaf that caps the chu toro, a delicious and lovely show piece. Personally, I prefer the simpler sushi: the bit of yuzu jelly and wasabi used with the kani helped bring out the crab's natural flavours without too much fuss; and while the kinmedai was a bit chewy the fish was nonetheless refreshing against some of the heavier pieces. Minami should consider blowtorching the wagyu tableside as it's not the greatest cold and I'd skip the uni unless it's a great quality as it added a slight metallic taste to the sushi. While sampling the surf and turf roll, all I could taste was orange and seaweed so sadly neither of the main elements really shone. Luckily, the bite of salmon maki helped end the dish on a higher note. Their saikyo-miso sakekasu (try saying that three times fast) marinated sablefish was divine and I liked that other than a dollop of caviar they left the fish sauceless. I'd suggest having the fish first and leaving the "sides" until the end - the honey glazed endive goes nicely with the dish, while the way too oily shiso tempura does not. You must love the presentation of the sashimi as the billowing dry ice flows around all the fish. Luckily, the seafood was fresh as well and the tuna always a lovely treat. Minami ever so briefly chars the cuttlefish before adding the pops of juicy roe and while this goes fine with soy sauce it would excel with a thicker sauce. Finally, I liked the fresh sweet spot prawn and their use of the entire shrimp as the deep-fried head was crispy as heck and the perfect nibble to end. This is a long review, for the rest visit Gastro World. read more

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We went for a celebratory meal with another couple and ordered a ridiculous amount of food, but alas, I only managed to take a few photos. Generally, the food is "good" if you like this style of sushi, which is heavily sauced, very rich/fatty, and slightly sweet. They often have a bit of spice tucked in to give it a kick to balance out the sweetness. It's not the kind of sushi I like,but if you like that sort of stuff, this is a good rendition of it. The service was excellent and friendly. It was a Tuesday night, but it was packed, no doubt for the holiday season. We also really enjoyed their Wagyu-washed bourbon Boulevardier. It sounds gross, but it actually was quite nice and you don't taste the "beef" at all. The bartender renders the trimmings from the kitchen and washes the bourbon himself. He also makes the lovely coffee liqueur that he adds to it. read more

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I remember this place being amazing when I dined the last several trips to Vancouver. This time, it didn't taste as good. The salmon aburi is still the best thing here but the ambiance was a bit sub par. I was constantly swatting flies that were hovering over our meal. It was not a pleasant experience. Otherwise, it was a nice quiet place for my family and I to have a sit down lunch. read more

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I haven't had a dining experience like this in a while. I have to say I was so impressed by Minami. Everything from the service--(our server was Hana!), to the amazing ingredients/flavor profiles/presentation of the food. The timing of all the dishes was perfect, not too fast and not too slow, and our water glasses were always filled. I would highly recommend the shokai set menu. The Shokai is a great deal, and will leave you feeling very full. The highlights of my meal were probably the toro sashimi/sushi and the dessert! Saying the dessert was amazing would be an understatement. The Earl grey lemon mascarpone mousse had every texture checked off. I loved the combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet, & tart. If I could go back to Minami I would, and I would recommend to anyone else visiting Vancouver. If you happen to live nearby, consider yourself even luckier! Minami treated us so good. read more

Minami - Aburi sushi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Food - 4 Service - 5 Value - 4 We came to Minami for dinner on our last night in Vancouver. We had the Brussel Sprout Chips, Miso Sablefish, Oshi Sampler and Aburi Beef Capaccio. Overall a good meal, but nothing memorable really stood out. In the end, we were glad to be able to try the Aburi Oshi Sushi at the place that one of the restaurants that started it all. read more

One of my favorite sushi spots. Came here to celebrate an anniversary and had a refreshing, frothy cocktail with the sashimi plate. Beautiful presentation and so fresh! read more

Minami - Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This is a classic go to spot with my friend group for birthdays or special events! The servers are very attentive and the ambience (especially on the patio during summer) are excellent and provide the classic Yaletown atmosphere mixed with upscale Japanese cuisine. We tend to skip mains and appetizers (except for the beef carpaccio) and order aburi oshi and other sushi to share. This tends to be the most bang for your buck and especially with a large group (6+ people), you can get a surprising amount for a very reasonable price. The food is excellent of course and the aburi in particular is rich and smoky. The presentation is excellent and makes for really nice IG posts. read more

I'm really craving the amazing sushi I had at Minami! The ABURI sushi was so fresh, each bite was a savored moment and the flame seared adds an enhanced texture to the sushi. The pressed sushi shape also gives it a unique form! I got the Oshi Sampler which comes with 2 pcs of salmon, ebi, and saba oshi. They were all honestly so delicious and flavorful! The Red Wave Roll is a more traditional sushi roll and it was just as delicious, the fish and flavor were amazing. It includes Canadian rock crab, avocado, red tuna, and masatake sauce. There is paid street parking right in front of the restaurant and our hostess was very friendly and welcoming. If you're looking to try ABURI sushi some fresh fish, Minami is a great stop in Vancouver. read more

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Everything we ordered was delicious and presented very well. Adrienne was a great server explaining the menu and encouraging on ordering. The restaurant has a great ambiance with an open dining area that we felt we had enough room yet it was an intimate setting. Recommend highly. read more

Minami - Wagyu truffle oshi - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Went to Minami for dinner for my first experience with aburi (flame seared) sushi. We had no reservation, so we ended up on the waitlist. We were seated shortly after we received the text message. QR code for the menu was on the table. We ordered the Blue Ocean prefix menu, as well as the chicken nanban for an extra appetizer. The chicken nanban came first. It's basically battered and fried chunks of chicken with a tartar sauce, so of course it was good. I wish they had let us finish this before they started serving the prefix. The first course in the prefix was the sashimi, which came with a shrimp (head fried, raw body), salmon, and red snapper. Each piece was cut perfectly, but I got a lot of lemon flavor from the salmon and snapper. (probably because it was touching lemon) The wasabi was surprisingly flavorful, and the fish was great with the 2 different soy sauces they gave us. The next course was the aburi beef carpaccio, which was thinly sliced and seared beef, with capers, wasabi chimicurri, creme fraiche, ponzu, and a sous vide egg, cooked at 63 degrees Celsius. The quality of the ingredients stood out more than the flavor on this one. The third course was the aburi sushi, which came with 7 selected pieces. Each was unique and tasted like no other sushi I had had before. The box pressed ones were especially good. The entree course was a roasted piece of sablefish and a seared scallop. Both were cooked perfectly and were extremely tender and flaky. The vegetables and garnishes it came with were also very flavorful. The final course was dessert. It was basically a matcha chocolate azuki bean layered cake with some matcha ice cream. Portions on the courses were small, but I was very full after eating everything. The service was excellent. And the ambiance was new and modern. Great place to take a date. read more

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Minami is always a sure bet to take out of town guests. I always order the signature sampler which is quite a good deal and you get to sample the menu! a few at the table tried their lychee martini, one said the one their husband makes at home is comparable. Brussel sprouts chips were so simple yet delectable; we had to get a second order. Their sushi rice is top notch. Every grain is individual but sticks well together w the others, if that makes sense. Hotate is super fresh. The rolls are very flavourful and the roe always makes an impact. I always look forward to having ebi here when that's the last piece of sushi I go for anywhere. The toppings on some of the nigiri really elevate the pieces. The salmon Oshi is wonderful but a lot of places in town have replicated it pretty well. Service was mediocre and I'd expect a lot more at this price point. If I didn't go to another "finer" dining joint so soon after for comparison, I wouldn't have commented. read more

Minami - Signature sampler - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Overall Minami is just average, located in Yaletown this restaurant is well decorated and gives more of a lounge vibe. I walked in for lunch and was seated immediately, I went with their lunch special. Started with miso soup, flavorless to say the least. After sometime they brought out a bento box, included some sushi, nigiri, an appetizer and the main course. The chicken was good, I appreciated the sauce to dip. The ebi fritters were quite delicious. The rest just okay, I am not sure what I was expecting but this outing did not wow me. read more

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$70 Aburi Takeout ~ even though we wanted to be sure the standard wasabi/ginger condiments were included, the server assured us all was in the bag, so we tipped accordingly. Arriving at our hotel, there was only chopsticks :( On its own, the Aburi was pressed neatly and flavorful. Rolls had nice rice texture, a wee bit salty. read more

Minami - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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So during the past two years, what with COVID, the few times I went out to eat, I only did so at places where there are outdoor patios. I refused to eat inside (air circulation is key, IMO). Anyhow, my foodie friends introduced me to the sushi at this place and, all I can say is, DAMN them, as now I am forever spoiled and cannot enjoy sushi from any other place. I mean it. The sushi here is THAT good. It's the first sushi place that I've been to where the sushi is different, delicate, and the rice actually has a delicious taste (usually the rice in sushi is bland or tasteless). The sushi here is elevated. For REAL. The outdoor patio is SO pretty! There is a water fountain sculpture on one side and, one one occasion I ate there with my kids, there were some songbirds frolicking in the water. The patio feels secluded, too, like a little garden oasis, with ivy-covered walls and pretty bistro tables and chairs. Just a lovely little spot. But getting back to the sushi.... they definitely set the bar high here. Unfortunately, the prices are also high. Very high. BUT they have excellent happy hour deals, and that's when I've dined here. My kids and I get the sushi sampler plate and champagne rolls and salmon rolls that have a subtle yuzu glaze. All I can say is, everything here is delectable, and beautifully plated, and unlike any run-of-the-mill sushi you've ever had before. Oh, and my friends who introduced me to this place? They lived in Japan for a decade and they know their sushi! read more

How is it that I have yet to write a review as it was one of the first sushi restaurants I went too when I was interviewing in Vancouver over 10 1/2 yrs ago and it's consistently delicious all these years later. Have been a few times over the past decade for Taste of Yaletown as it's a family favorite when they're in town, as primarily for their salmon oishi which is the star, it melts in your mouth. This is the sister restaurant of Miku OG of salmon oishi. We ordered in moderation as started with seasonal gomae, we could have ordered another one, so good with sesame dressing. Then we ordered the hamachi crudo and bluefin tuna tartare. I was not a fan of the hamachi crudo but the bluefin tartare was great. We saved the salmon & hotate oishis for last but we all felt the scallop oishi was off, and our waitress was kind enough to replace it with salmon oishi. She recommended the champagne roll which was also very good. They were busy on a Wednesday weeknight so if you go, make sure to make a reservation. I've tried so many other things there over the years but they do change their menu every 4-6 months but without fail, order the salmon oishi as you won't regret it, also their black cod was delicious, Nobu-esque since this and Miku would be the closest thing Vancouver has to that caliber of a sushi restaurant. read more

Whoa, this was a FANCY sushi restaurant and stood out among all of the more casual ones across the city. I am so glad we ate here - it was one of the highlights of our vacation. I had never tried Aburi sushi before and now I'm obsessed :) The combo plate was a great way to try many items. The 'Little Emperor' non alcoholic drink was fantastic - both my 10yo and I enjoyed it. The atmosphere was nice but not stuffy - they were very welcoming to my (well-behaved) 10yo and me, and we had an early reservation. Our waiter was very helpful in recommending items, and the meal was beautifully presented. I would definitely go back. It is expensive, though, about $90 for two of us, without alcohol. read more

Minami - Aburi sushi chef's choice plate - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I've never had pressed sushi before and was excited to try something new here. We got the sampler of the oshi and the salmon was definitely my favorite. The prawn oshi didn't have a very strong taste and I decided that mackerel wasn't for me. For appetizers we got the edamame, Brussels sprouts and ebi fritters. Our waiter Aidan recommended the Brussels and He was not lying when he said they were amazing - they were by far the winner - probably the best Brussels sprouts I've ever had. The ebi fritters were also very good, I loved the aioli sauce they came with and the slaw was actually really good too. The Ototo was also worth the price and literally melts in your mouth! I also need to give a special shout out to our waiter Aidan because he was one of the friendliest waiters I've ever had and even learned the names of our whole table of 5 for the evening. He made some great recommendations and really provided top notch service so really appreciated his food energy :) read more

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Delicious food and friendly service. The drinks were delicious and carefully crafted. Our server was knowledgeable about sake and helped us choose the perfect bottle. I recommend ordering several different items and sharing them with the table. The ambience is quite boisterous. Not the place for a quiet night out;) I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Always a great time. It was my birthday dinner, they made it amazing. The service is always on point and the food has never disappointed. We also figured that coming in a party of 3 is optimal for sharing - because the portions come in 3 or 6. You can also do half orders for half the price. So get your two bffs and treat yourself for dinner! Started with the Aburi Pearl cocktail, one with Yuzu and one with Pomegranate. On the sweet side, but refreshing and light. The hot pepper heat on the rim is a nice touch. We had the carpaccio with the sous vide egg, the honey roasted carrots, and spicy edamame, and a half order of Sokeye and Albacore Tuna sashimi to start. Solid appies, my husband raved about the edamame on our way home. Then, we had the money shot classics, Ebi and Salmon Oshi, Redwave Roll, Ocean Roll. The Aburi is really the main reason to come here. I haven't found another place able to replicate the ebi oshi. We finished with the signature opera, which takes 3 days to make apparently. It's one of those dessert you that taste better at the restaurant. Overall, a fantastic meal as always. read more

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Solid Sushi offering. I've got a couple of times the last few weeks for their Happy Hour - which is reasonably priced for this neighbourhood and the quality of ingredients they use. Service has always been excellent - very prompt to make sure you are taken care of. My recommendation is to always get the Salmon Oshi as it is what they are known for. Their Premium Lunch Set is also a decently priced offering (again, for this part of town) and comes with a loaded Miso Soup. Thanks to the friendly staff and talented Kitchen staff for pulling together a nice dining experience. Hot tip: If you end up liking their offerings you can get some items to-go at their little Japanese convenience store 20 metres away called Aburi2Go - whether that's the sushi, salad or even similar Japanese plates. read more

Minami - Premium lunch set - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Hands down the absolute BEST sushi I've had in my entire life. I was visiting Vancouver and was recommended this spot by a friend, and was lucky enough to make a reservation the night before. We found street parking outside pretty easily and were seated quickly once being checked in. They gave us a whole booth which could've seated around 8-10 people just for us two, which was interesting but quite nice. We ordered the champagne roll, red wave roll, and salmon oshi sushi. This was my first time having pressed sushi, so I was also super excited about that! All three arrived on the same platter and were presented beautifully. Not only that, they were all SO GOOD. I never wanted it to end. The champagne roll had creamy scallops on top and the golden tobiko it was rolled in added such a nice texture. The red wave roll had super fresh tuna and Canadian rock crab, and the masatake sauce they put on top was literally perfect. Finally, the salmon on the oshi sushi was so fresh, soft, and tasty and in combination with the jalapeño and Miku sauce it made a perfect bite. I was so so happy with all the sushi and am kind of sad to think I probably won't have anything better. Overall, I had a super great experience here! Our waitress was very friendly and the fold was absolutely to die for. Prices also were not unreasonable at all, and I would gladly come back if I'm ever in the area again. I'd highly recommend this spot to anyone! read more

Minami - Red Wave Roll, Salmon Oshi Sushi, Champagne Roll - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This is probably the best quality sushi that I have tried on the West Coast. I love that there are also some locations in the Toronto area if you're looking for something consistent in terms of the quality. I think there are certain items that are extremely high quality, such as all the sashimi pieces or all the fresh sushi. I did really enjoy the sushi with truffles, and it had a really interesting flavor. I would probably skip the torched sushi, as I think you can get this other places are much lower price. I would definitely splurge more on the items were you can truly taste the quality of the seafood such as the more simple items Extremely difficult to get a table, but is well worth it. The service is truly impeccable. The restaurant is very clean, but nothing special visually. There's very comfortable seating with large space in between each table so you feel like you're having very intimate experience. read more

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Been meaning to finish this review but kept forgetting to do so. My good friend and I were at the Fairmont Pac Rim for a nice spa treatment and wanted a delicious dinner. The sister restaurant Miku was closed that night so we were encouraged to book a table at Minami instead. This was mid Jan 2021 and the restaurant was busy especially during Covid. It is certainly a more casual atmosphere compared to Miku. Food came out quicky and everything tasted delicious. We asked the server to point out some must-have and went for those along with additional appies which we were curious about. The aburi were delicious yet innovative, well flavoured and each one of our appetizers were Wow! I also really enjoyed their miso soup which has lots of seaweed, tofu and mushroom. A great restaurant in Yaletown! read more

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Ordered Aburi Take out after having eaten at their sister restaurant Miku. Everything was delicious! Pick up was easy. We got 6 items and everything was packaged beautifully, although the dessert presentation wasn't as good as it would be in a restaurant. I liked every single thing that we got. The Salmon Oshi Sushi was one of my favorites. The seasoning and searing is perfection. The Kaisen Donburi was delicious and had an excellent assortment of fresh fish. The Champagne Roll, King Salmon Roll and Negitoro Make were also good. I liked the Orange Ginger Cake dessert, but my wife thought it was too spicy and "challenging" to eat. I will agree that the calabrian chili was very forward, but I liked the punchiness and character of the dish. Not for a timid stomach though. The orange curd flavor was stronger than the ginger. I did wish there had been more ginger and less chili. All together, our meal was $120 (including tax and tip) and we had enough for two adults and a toddler, with some leftovers. I wouldn't mind ordering from here again! read more

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We sat at the bar for dinner. We ordered mussels and Bluefin Tuna tartare. The mussels took a while and they were awful. Old, tiny and barely warm. Fell apart on the chopstick as they were old and way overcooked. Wine glasses went empty and the Bluefin never showed up. Bar was less than half full and 2 working it. Had to get up to get the staff's attention and get the check to leave and find a decent place for dinner. Yes, the Bluefin was on the check and had to wait for a manger to take it off. Much better places across the street. read more

Amazing Oshi Red wave roll was awesome Shrimp appetizer was a hit Bone marrow was just okay Drinks were very good read more

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Just recently moved to Vancouver from Toronto. Toronto's Minami is one of my favorite go-to sushi spots so when I heard BC had a location as well, I had to give it a try ! My fiancé and I ordered a few things to share for dinner 1) Spicy Sesame Edamame: flavorful & tasty 2) Champagne & Red Wave Roll: we were able to get half orders for these rolls and both were very fresh with good sauces topped 3) Aburi Oshi Sushi Selection: these were my favorite and are absolutely a MUST TRY here Highly recommend & definitely will be back ! read more

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When my friend tasked me with finding a spot for dessert after dinner, I instantly thought of Minami since Minami/Miku always understands the assignment. No regrets literally just going for Dessert haha. The attention to detail in plating and ingredients at Minami is always top notch and sets a standard other restaurants aspire to follow. A big thank you to our waitress for making time for our small talk and being so friendly and knowledgeable with my table. She asked about food allergies and made sure our drinks were evenly distributed and full throughout the meal. We got a Moet to start off and a Dassai 45 Nigori to cap off the meal. Literally get one of everything on the dessert menu if you can, but if its your first time, get the Green Tea Opera cake for sure. You can also get the take home version for half the price without the bells and whistles next door at Aburi To Go. Very happy to say that every dessert we got was amazing that night and Minami quality. I loved my Banana Chocolate Torte and the flavours melded very well together harmoniously. I thought we'd be rushed to finish booking at 9, and them closing at 9:30, but it was fine and there were still a lot of people in the restaurant at 9:45. read more

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I have not had sushi for 23 years and Minami changed that! Absolutely so fresh and delicious. Incredible preparation, service and quality of food. Our server Bailey was THE BEST!! She was so knowledgeable and personable. Please open up in NYC!!!!! read more

We came here to celebrate my birthday on a Friday night. We had reservations for 5:45pm but arrived slightly early. They had us wait on a bench until exactly 5:45 before seating us. The restaurant had empty tables and they were seating people that arrived after us without reservations which was odd. We were seated near the back of the restaurant in a middle table. We didn't realize that two tables next to us had screaming children until we sat down. Unfortunately it took them 5 minutes from sitting down at the table until our server arrived at our table with some water. We had politely asked to move at this time and were told it would be a wait which we accepted. We weren't offered any cocktails while we waited so we sat at a table with children screaming next to us for a while. Finally about 15 minutes later when it was time to switch tables we were offered three different ones and we took the one away from the entrance. We were able to finally order cocktails and some food. Our waiter Aiden was very personable and did a great job getting to know us. The food was brought out in two courses with the tartare coming out quite quickly, and then the oshi and rolls following. The tartare was incredibly flavourful. It had a wasabi cream next to the tartare with a rice cracker dome. It was really beautifully displayed and fun to break the rice cracker. The oshi and rolls were amazing as usual. Although I was a bit disappointed with the customer service and the way the dinner started, the food really made up for it. read more

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Well now who could have predicted the year 2020 going like that!?? All I can say is - begone now please!!! I could go on but enough of that rubbish year! Is this truly a new year as in fresh start ... or actually just part 2? Yikes I sure hope not!?! 2021 here we go with the first one as in - review! Put the rose coloured glasses away people - we need to see how things go in the first half of the year before we get excited & even then I'm thinking 2022 is the actual breakthrough year cause gosh - this coronavirus is deadly & the numbers are not good right now! Only my second time here & it's been about a minute since the last time! Might turn out to be the last time out for awhile - strong chatter on the news about further lockdowns/restrictions due to that bloody bat! Was contemplating Miku but choose to go with Minami. No matter as they are sister restaurants so it comes down to location I guess & the fact that Jay Z & Beyoncé dined at Miku when they popped into Vancouver for - On the Run II, if that sways your decision any. I had briefly stopped by Minami last summer to check out their Happy Hour menu but ended up at another spot that July afternoon. The bright sunny day pics you see here, were taken then just to give you an idea what Minami is like during the day. Minami is a classy, elegant & upper crust Japanese sushi spot indeed I do say! I'll admit that I ain't no Sushi Sensei & have a strong leaning towards drowning my sushi in soy sauce mixed with a heavy dose of wasbi! Who doesn't just love that 'hit' on the sinus after every bite of wasabi!?! Nor am I a fan of Sashimi (too raw for me) - I know the horror! Well now to my shock - Minami will tell you to try their sushi as is without sauce or wasabi (not even sure if it's offered) - & wow voila the magic of their Aburi (flame-seared) Sushi will hit the roof of your mouth & explode!!! OMG so much paradise in every bite! It was after just 1 bite that I realized I didn't need my beloved soy or wasabi at all!!! I was shocked at how good the sushi was without it! I started wondering ... have I been eating sushi the wrong way all these years!?? Minami is spot on with tasty delicious sushi that hits all the right points - beauty check, presentation check, portion check, quality check & finally - taste ... check check check! It ain't cheap but it's worth it every now & then to - treat yourself rite!!! Located in popular Yaletown (I've written & taken many pics of this neighbourhood - peruse my page at your leisure) Minami is a hit amongst locals & visitors. Presentation is key here & what a show of food indeed!!! See my pics! What you see will have you oohing & aahing - I just couldn't wait to eat it all up! We had the Red Wave Roll (crab, avocado, tuna), & the Champagne Roll (scallop, sockeye, cucumber, Miku sauce), & the Salmon Oshi (wild sockeye salmon, jalapeno & Miku sauce). My M3 cocktail (Havana club 7, ginger liqueur, basil syrup, lime, mango foam) rocked! Bartender hit me up one more time please! Minami strives for excellence so if you are not satisfied - speak up as you're paying top dollar for no BS! Minami is great for date nights & special occasions. People please be safe out there & let's get through 2021 together! Mask up! Banzai! read more

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A cute little place in the heart of Yaletown. Came here for their happy hour menu - so my review may not be fully representative of their full menu experience. The aburi sushi were all good (to be fair, I can't really tell what is good aburi and what isn't). Just tasted like Miku and every other place. The fried chicken was pretty soggy and not crispy at all. Pretty disappointed by this dish. Of the three specialty rolls, the only one that was good was the one with scallops (champagne roll?). The other two are a hard pass. Finally the green tea opera... just no... this is like a dollar store version of the real deal (what you get at Miku). It's a good place... but not worth the full menu price if it is anything close to the happy hour experience. read more

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Known as one of the best sushi restaurants - I had to check this place out while visiting Vancouver. It's located near the water and provides a great view of the ocean so I'd definitely recommend this for a date spot. The fish was very fresh and the food tasted great .. we were tempted to come back the next day for some more. Service was excellent as our waitress was very attentive and took the time to explain the dishes. For anyone visiting Vancouver - I'd definitely recommend to give this restaurant a try. read more