Kaman K.

We visit this Michelin 1 star restaurant for their 15-course omakase lunch set at $180 per person. We were greeted at the store front and seated for our 12:15pm booking. Total 10 guests today. Looks like 4 more guests can be served for the maximum seating. The server came by when the course is served to explain each item. The appetizers have three dishes. The tempura is freshly made and hot. The cooked fish tastes a bit fishy to my likely. The chawanmushi is lukewarm which I wish to be hotter. It then follows by 8 nigiri sushi with brown rice - really like the texture and (small) portion of rice with each nigiri. Fresh ingredients. I asked for low sodium option however the first few nigiri is a bit too salty and I have notified the server so the chef can adjust immediately. I enjoy the Hokkaido uni nigiri the last smoked fish nigiri the most. The fresh crab and salmon roe rice and beef soba noodles at the end have a nice touch of finesse. There are a number of birthday celebrations and they asked for names to acknowledge and celebrate the birthdays. A little musical piano "performance" for the happy birthday song. Matcha green tea is served at the end to wrap up the omakase. Overall an enjoyable experience but not necessarily impressive as a Michelin 1 star restaurant. At this price point it's worth a try however not likely regular visit.

Ly W.

Service was really amazing with servers explaining each dish and drinks were always topped off. Food was good, but maybe this isn't quite my style of omakase compared to the other ones I've tried. This is a more theatrical style so expect louder music and a more theatrical experience (eg one of the servers played the flute for the guests celebrating birthdays). I prefer a more intimidate and interactive style of omakase where you can talk with the chefs. This lunch also felt a little fast in terms of progression of the meal. Some of the dishes were very tasty while others didn't wow us. With drinks, we were quite full despite some reviews saying portion is on the smaller size. Our total was around $500 with drinks for 2 people. A really good experience for omakase, especially if you are looking for a unique experience though not my favourite one I've tried.

Gerry L.

I looked for new places to try on this trip to Vancouver. I usually end up at the same places every time so this time I decided to try new places. Sushi Okeya Kyujiro is a one-star Michelin restaurant, so I was eagerly looking forward to my visit. Located in Yaletown on Mainland St, it is an intimate space with a small waiting area. The servers are dressed in kimono and greet you at the entrance. You're led into the U-shaped bar and there are black screens hiding the chefs and the workspace from the diners. Once all diners have been seated and served their choice of drinks the screens rise, and the performance begins. Lunch consists of 15 courses for $180CAD. Dinner consists of 20 courses for $325CAD. I went for lunch as that was the reservation I could secure on the desired date. Each course is a piece of art, and you are requested to consume it within 10 seconds of it being presented to you. The waitresses explain each item as they're presented. There is a main chef and two subsidiary chefs working on the pieces of sushi. The first course was a trio of appetizers, followed by chawanmushi, then 8 pieces of nigiri sushi, a bowl of ikura and crabmeat, a bowl of soba with pieces of Waygu, then a piece of makisushi, and a slice of tamago. The finale was dessert consisting of red bean with mochi and a green tea ice cream sandwich. I had two glasses of beer (one rice, the other yuzu) with my meal. Interestingly, there are no menus ... The waitresses explain the five kinds of beer, and the different wines and sake available. The total came to $220.05CAD + tip. This was arguably the finest omakase I've experienced. I can't wait to try dinner and there are locations in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto so my next visit might be in Montreal.

Isabel C.

Okeya Kyujiro is the cream of the crop for traditional Japanese omakase in Vancouver. The dinner menu, priced at $325 per person before tax/tip features 25 courses of seasonal menu items and most are all imported from different parts of Japan. Upon arrival, the staff attentively guided us to a waiting area where each party would be seated individually. After being seated, we were given brief information on the menu and served water/tea. The show began when the dark curtains were drawn up and music began to fill the atmosphere. What impressed me was how seamlessly each staff member worked to prepare all the courses on the spot. Everyone knew what their job was and what they needed to do. Courses were served meticulously, and the servers walked around to describe the food, clear plates, and continuously fill cups. The staff would also show guests various ingredients used (fish, crab, fresh bonito, etc), and Chef Matsuda also performed a leaf cutting segment to showcase his crazy knife skills. The food was so good, nothing disappointed me. The ingredients are carefully chosen and paired. Each course is ordered perfectly with lighter dishes in the front and heavier tasting ones in the back. The photos comprise some of my favourite dishes. All lovers of Japanese cuisine would be delighted by the selections of sushi, appetizers, and small main courses. Special shout out to the tamago that just tasted more like extra egged up cake - that one will live rent-free in my head for the rest of my life. Dessert and the tea ceremony were wonderful finishing elements of the night. When Chef Matsuda brought out the crown melon with such a happy smile on his face, it brought a lot of warmth to my heart, knowing that this wholesome man truly enjoys sharing his culture and food just as much as I enjoy partaking in it. Overall, this meal was exquisite, divine, fulfilling, and just everything I could possibly imagine and more in a first-time omakase experience. This by no means was an affordable meal, and I fully recognize the privilege I had to engage in such a special dining experience thanks to my boyfriend!!

Michael C.

A theatrical experience of an omakase. The fish was fresh and good, mixed in a lot of raw and cooked courses. It stood out to me how fresh the Uni and ikura were, very good. Service was as expected, and the sparkling sake I paired was pretty good. Overall it was a good quality omakase for the price charged.

Marje B.

Amazing experience! I'm part of a suppers club. This was a top choice for Japanese. And it did not disappoint. 25 course omakase. The place is all bar seating about 15 people. The food, the service and the theatrics were all fantastic. This place has a Michelin star and not surprise. It wasn't cheap but worth every penny. All the fish tasted fresh, I also loved how they showed us the whole fish itself. All other dishes were amazing bites. I didn't want it to end.

Yen D.

The world's first ochakase. To get a reservation for this, you have to had dinner here as a prerequisite and then you're given a QR code for a special opentable page. Turns out ochakase is only offered Sunday or Saturday at 215 pm. It is like an afternoon tea but Japanese and more sweet focused than savory, here's what I had. 1) soy milk with rock salt and maple syrup. Was somewhat thick and a nice start 2) gyokuro tea with bbq Japanese sweet potato with burnt sugar top, apple compote, vanilla ice cream and shiso leaves. Really liked this pairing especially since the gyokuro tea had some umami notes 3) kokojicha from Shizuoka paired with monaka with chestnut paste and bamboo charcoal flecks wrapped in mochi and a crown melon piece. Thought this was a nice pairing.. however the bamboo charcoal didn't do anything for me other than add color and I wish there was more than just one small piece of crown melon in the monaka sandwich. 4) genmaicha paired with kombu with flounder and ginger, yuba with salmon roe and bluefin tuna with some wasabi. I liked the yuba with the salmon roe the most.. the bluefin tuna didn't have any fat on it which was disappointing and was only one small bite. 5) genmaicha paired with mango and orange pieces with balsamic vinegar and housemade cheese. Housemade cheese was similar to a mozzarella ball. Could definitely tell the fruit was high caliber but also was dismayed that there was only 3 bite sized pieces of each fruit 6) komacha tea paired wirh dorayaki with black truffle custard. Thought this was a smart move since black truffle goes well with cream. The dorayaki tasted the same as other dorayakis I've had in Japan not made in front of me 7) nerikiri in hydrangea shape wirh white bean and soft candies paired with komacha. Pretty but was a bit too sweet for me and the tea didn't help decrease the sweetness much 8) tofu with gyokuro tea and shiso with hojicha tea. Was refreshing but also didn't care for this flavor combination. Was pretty tho. 9) hojicha tea paired with ukishima which was matcha dacquoise with red bean layer and white bean layer to represent the 14 islands. If you cut the small piece into half, it's two bites.. but honestly I could have taken it in one bite without stuffing my face. 10) one takoyaki ball made with rice flour with aged bonito flakes and mayo with hojicha tea. Wish they had given me 3 or 6 balls like I usually have gotten in JPN on the street. Couldn't tell much of a difference between this takoyaki and the others. 11) hand roll of a bite or two with quality seaweed, a5 miyazaki and rice and caviar. The A5 was cut into little cubes... so much so that I didn't notice much of the melty fat goodness I'm used to getting when I get slices. 12) yuzu sorbet with sudachi zest paired with hojicha tea 13) matcha whisking together event...whisk in w form paired with zen garden dessert with matcha financier, bamboo charcoal uni cream puff, and black sesame white chocolate. Sand is sugar and salt. Thought this was a unique and fun presentation. I enjoyed this pairing the most. Chose a pair of socks from their souvenir box at the end. Service was good. I realized because of the timing between courses and I drank all the liquid I was given, I was decently stuffed but I can see where others would still be hungry. Portions are small and the hojicha was the only one I got refills of. When I wanted a refill of the other teas.. it was quickly whisked away and replaced with the next tea. I can see that because they call it an ochakase, they can command a high price, but it reminds me of the afternoon tea that I got at the Park Hyatt Kyoto which they called japanese high tea. Wish there was more savory bites.

Haitong W.

Omakase dinner with 25 dishes. A great performance. The team well demonstrated the food materials, and their cooking skills.

Alicia T.

Immaculate dining experience! To celebrate Valentine's Day, we were not only looking for good quality food but a really great experience as well. Everything was so thought out. The service was incredible. Worth every penny

Ms. A.

AMAZING SUSHI AMAZING PERFORMANCE 2/11/24 Kyujiro has only 12 seats. The arrangement of the seats resembles a stage, and during the initial preparation phase, curtain is closed like a grand theater performance--lights dimmed. When the designated time arrives and everyone is assembled, the curtain slowly rises accompanied by the sound of bamboo joints, and the lights brighten. The chef makes an appearance, and the show begins. The ritualistic atmosphere is truly captivating.

Naly S.

Incredible experience. We heard that VYR recently got on the Michelin star guide, and had to try this place! We booked a reservation for 2 and it was a very intimate experience where there were 12 seats total, for a 20 course meal including desert. The experience was 1.5 hours long. After each dish was presented, the waitresses would come around explaining where each fish is from and how to properly enjoy it. Every fish was wonderfully coordinated to elevate the next dish's flavors. This was the most deliciously beautiful dinner experience (show and food). The head chef was so cute showing us the desert melon he got shipped especially from Japan WITH the red ribbon because that was a separate purchase, hahah! Overall wonderful staff and attention to detail.

James R.

This was a truly epic sushi experience. It's is almost a performance in terms of how it is paced, but it's definitely more than that. The amount of respect and skill put into each bite was a thing to behold. While the dining room hold about 14 people, it doesn't feel too quiet and the servers explaining dishes and the chefs showing the products we handed the experience. I won't do a blow by blow of each bite. All I will say is that my partner and I loved the food and the experience. We would definitely return.

Robin L.

Does Okeya Kyujiro deserve the title of Best Omakase experience in Vancouver? I personally think they offer an interesting dining experience and serve up fresh ingredients, but are they really the best? Service from the get-go was immaculate, the restaurant is a limited 14 seat per seating event that happens twice a day (for dinner). The staff greet you in typical fashion and is extremely attentive to every beckon and call. The food, what I really came for, was excellent except for it feeling extremely rushed at the start. It felt like I was gasping for air as I switched between courses and my sake/champagne. The experience itself warrants the price tag. Although the sequence of cooked-nigiri-cold-hot dishes were rather confusing at times, you will definitely leave satisfied and extremely content. Prices for sake are reasonable and they offer a good range of both variety and price, of course in relation to the Omakase ($300). Definitely not your everyday sushi spot in Vancouver! Come celebrate for a special event but if you want a pure Omakase experience without the theatrics, this isn't that spot.