Tldr - This is a chef owned bistro. I think all orders are made to order, so prepare to wait (solo = 1 chef). But I don't mind the wait; it isn't that long. Food is good and is worthy of the price. I ordered the Chef Bento that included sushi and sashimi. Sashimi was melt in the mouth fresh. Sushi was perfect for picking them up by hand. Other side dishes were standard. The beer selection was average but adequate. What amused me was how hidden this amazing Japanese bistro was, yet it survived the decades and the COVID pandemic. I walked from the parking lot, passed a physiotherapy business to get to an unnoticeable front door of this Japanese bistro. And its interior was like an oasis of calm. Also I find the services polite from the moment I walked through the front door. The owners also let us stayed behind to chat long after the meal. read more

Solo Sushi Ya - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

Course #1. Orion The Draft Okinawa brewery Course #2. Smoked salmon, bluefin, duzu soy bean Course #3: Blue Fin, Buri, salmon, scallop Course #4: Sake Course 4: Egg with salmon, white fish, shrimp and mushroom Course 5: Miso glazed baked cod with deep fried shrimp head Course #6: Blue Fin, Yellow Tail, salmon and eel nigiri Course #7: Desert Course #8. Ask for the plum wine Fantastic experience. Joe the owner and chef is top drawer. read more

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Miso soup was good. It was not heavy & had a fresh flavour. The salad was pretty good. It had a mixture of greens. The dressing was good: zesty. Soft shell crab (not so common here!) was good: well fried, though the batter was a little thick. Unagidon was good. There was quite a lot of eel. Chirashidon was good too: the pieces of sashimi were big (not the usual smaller random pieces). It was good quality sashimi. read more

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As always, this place is heavenly. The owner is a gem and so incredibly kind. Loves to chat about the menu and give you insight into how dishes are made. He is a big part of why we love it so much. The food, though, is the main event. And - holy cow - it is unbelievable. The best pork belly on this earth and we LOVE the fresh and beautifully served sushi. Even the seaweed salad was amazing! We truly cannot recommend this place enough. An absolute hole in the wall in the best way. It is amazing it's not more well known because it's the best meal we've had in ages!!! read more

I enjoyed a great omakase experience with a good friend of mine who raved about this restaurant. He was right on with his recommendation and this hidden gem serves authentic, high quality Japanese cuisine in the middle of Newmarket! The other and his wife were very friendly and he appears to have been a trained sushi chef at some well known restaurants before striking it out on his own. The restaurant interior is nothing out of the ordinary. There were a steady stream of locals and loyal customers who were also bringing their friends to introduce them to this little known diamond in the rough. Omakase was a mix of cooked and sushi /sashimi dishes. The fish was incredibly soft and melt in your mouth. This place definitely offers high quality fresh fish. The flavours were excellent and went well with a bottle of sake and a kirin beer. I highly recommend this spot if you're interested in amazing Japanese cuisine without having to drive all the way downtown. read more

The restaurant is a small and unassuming place that you would easily drive by and not notice. The chef there is a friendly, chatty and very attentive guy who is clearly proud of his craft. Sashimi was fresh and of good quality. He has had this restaurant for a long time and clearly has a solid and loyal customer base. read more

Great food, great place, great experience I really recommend this place. I never write reviews but I had to do it

Honestly, the only place I'll ever go for sushi. The chef is very friendly; there's a lot of regulars that come here, including myself. The fish is so fresh: they melt in your mouth and have a wonderful flavour. My personal favourite is the hamachi! Their rolls are amazing as well. Soft rice is rolled around a bounty of fillings that make up each roll. The avocado blends with the rice to create a creamy texture when you bite into it. Their hot food is on point as well. Grilled mackerel brings joy to your tastebuds, udon is hearty and warm, tempura fried to perfection. Be sure to check this place out if you want the real deal, it is worth the drive!!! read more

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Still great but for sit down reservations are a must. I got sashimi dinner and plum wine, salad and miso soup are included. The restaurant was very busy as there was a group of six with omakazes so people had to get turned away :( take out is always a good option. Since I no longer work up north during Covid I haven't come here as often but still the same as how I remember it! read more

Solo Sushi Ya - Tempura udon - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

Heard about Solo Sushi Ya for the longest time... as a Japanese food fanatic, I am dying to try out this place and see if it is really worth my while to drive all the way up to Newmarket. Solo Sushi Ya is small nice, traditional Japanese restaurant.. the way that I envision Japanese places should be... I just find the modern deco really take away the experience... and some of the places trying to be too hip and too fusion... Udon and soup noodle only serves during lunch time.. so I decide to try out the Tempura Udon and one of the sushi set... (I wish I can try out the omakase menu one day!!) University Sushi Set ($17.95) - nom nom nom... all the fish here are really fresh! Salmon and Tuna are great cut.. melt in your mouth fattiness... - Remember not to add wasabi in your soya sauce, Chef has put in the right amount of wasabi in the sushi itself to compliment the fish!! - Shari rice I found it a little too vinegary for my taste Tempura Udon ($10) - Excellent dashi soup base... the star of this dish!! Nice and complex flavour salty and sweet the same time... we both drink all the soup - Udon is nicely cooked not too soft with a certain bite... - Shrimp and vegetable all lightly battered... just love it!! :) Chef really took control of the whole restaurant, giving orders to the nice server..and make sure everyone are happy... Just love how the Chef/Cook are there to have full interaction with all the patrons!! PS I got to use REAL chopsticks!! Not one of those disposables!! Now the question is WHEN can I come back for Omaskase ($55)?? WHEN??? read more

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The best Japanese restaurant in Newmarket.Delicious foods and enthusiastic service.Hoping we will be see you soon again. read more

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If you are looking for super authentic tasting sushi then you need to try this cute place out. This restaurant is super cute, cozy and feels very homey. I decided to stop by here at lunch to try their King Sushi Set ($17) - this comes with 5 pieces of nigiri and a roll (6 pcs) - all the fish on top of the nigiri that comes with this set is picked by the chef (whatever is fresh that day or whatever types of fish is available) will be served with the set. The meal also came with a salad and miso soup to start which were both tasty. The sushi is the winner here. I could taste the freshness of the fish, coupled with the quality in the marination of the rice and the hint of fresh wasabi that was placed inside each nigiri piece. The fish was very tender and delicious. The roll was also delicious. I believe it was a mixture of a spicy tuna/salmon roll. This roll was different than most places because it was mostly fish as opposed to the tempura bits that you get at most restaurants. The prices here are higher than most sushi places but then again most places aren't "authentic". The sushi here reminded me of sushi you could get at the tsujiri fish market in Tokyo, Japan but right in Newmarket. I will def. stop by again to try their Omakase and other dishes. read more

We came after work on a grey Friday. We were the only ones at the restaurant when we started. We had been there before and had gotten the omakase then and based on how great it was decided to get it again. It's pricy at $65. Okay maybe not in Toronto but for sure in Newmarket. It's great Sushi. Nice and fresh. Loved the taste of everything, you can tell that the person preparing the food is skilled and really cares about what they are doing. We weren't rushed, in fact it was a bit slow, but I'd rather wait a bit rather than have them standing there staring at us. The only downside, they tried to up sell us something that actually came in the regular menu. Which was weird. Also, the place could use a good scrub, the floors are filthy. But the food preparation parts that we could see are immaculate. read more

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Great little place in Newmarket. The Chef is a very interesting person and great creator of tastes.

I arrived at a half-full Solo Sushi Ya on a Sunday evening. I ordered the Omakasi menu at $58 / person. The low rating is for the poor service and dirty restaurant. I would rate the food at 3 stars. We were seated in the corner by the back wall. The tablecloth was filthy (covered in stains) and the wall was even dirtier (food all over it). The table was set and ready but there were still pieces of old food remaining on the table. Poor first impression. We sat there for at least fifteen minutes before anyone would come by and offer tea and take our order. The restaurant was only half full so I was baffled by this. I considered walking out. First impression is getting worse! The pacing of the courses were all over the place. First few rushed out and then waited more than 30 minutes in some cases. Very frustrating considering it wasn't busy. The meal took 2 hours and 45 minutes - just crazy considering the few courses served. Nobody explained what was in each course, it was just dropped on the table - a poorly executed Omakasi. A run down on the food: - Three appetizers, 1) red beans, 2) veggies & fish skin and 3) spicy sashimi. Nothing special and not very creative - average at best. - Sashimi was fresh in most cases except the BC white tuna. Really tasted fishy. Even with 90% of the fish very good, it only takes one miss to turn you off. - Egg with salmon and various pieces of seafood and tofu. I didn't like this but I don't like egg so will not pass judgment on this dish. - Salmon stew was OK but a little fatty for my personal taste. - Sushi plate only had four pieces. Fish was good but the rice was a mess. Every single piece fell apart when you picked it up. - Dessert was good - a coffee flavoured gelatine. After experiencing a perfect Omakasi experience at Sushi Kaji last week, this is a complete fail... even at half the price. Maybe this was a bad night as so much went wrong. For $60 / person, the service should be good, the restaurant clean and food fresh. I cant say any of these applied to my experience tonight. BK read more

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As I was going through writing a few generally unfavorable reviews for other restaurants (especially the Japanese ones) I was starting to miss having good Japanese food. So in a whim I decided to take the 25 minute drive north from home to one of the better Japanese restaurants that I know of: Solo Sushi-Ya at Newmarket. Full Disclosure: I'm a "regular" here for a while so the head chef/owner, Jyo-san, knows me already and has greeted me even if I hadn't been here for over a year. So coming here I knew I wanted one dish that he specializes in: the seafood motoyaki. The question was: should I cheap out and just get a chiraishi don for filler to splurge a bit and get the omakase (which today was a bit more expensive $65 because he had a special dish). Well since this was a solo-run, meaning I don't really care how much I spend (most of my non-foody friends would balk at the cost). If it were another place I would balk too, but I've been coming here enough to trust the chef on his omakase, I am rarely disappointed. Jyo-san's omakase is generally a "surprise" unlike others that lists what their omakase consists of. Jyo usually tells us what the feature dish is though, but the rest is whatever he thinks based on some personal requirements. I had only two: I want the seafood motoyaki and there better be no uni (sea urchin). The meal started out with three appetizers with a nice table set. The appetizers consisted of: edamame in some sauce, some veggies and some meat in sauce. I forgot to ask what exactly they are, but suffice to say they were all good. The edamame in sauce was a unique take from my regular edamame which is just boiled and served and was easily my favorite over the three. I then got served with the main entree: fish pate. I took a small scoop of it and put it in my mouth. As it entered my mouth, I can already smell the scent of the fish. As I chewed it a little and settle on my mouth, it felt like a sort of pudding (only a bit tougher) and every bite was giving more of the fish scent, without the flakiness of real fish meat or the sliminess of fish belly. The chef explained to me that this is his own style and made it himself, and since the other places where I had fish pate never tasted this good, I guess it's true. Then I got some sashimi: tuna, tataki, salmon and a large shrimp, with the house soy sauce. Fresh as usual. Nothing much to say here, probably because my mood wasn't into the raw fish. However, the large raw shrimp tasted sweet, not too many places serve it raw, most of them cook it or serve a joke-only size. It has a refreshing feel to the mouth when you eat it raw. Coming up was seafood steamed egg. Although it can't match my mom's steamed egg (that's still my favorite), Sushi-ya still has one of the better and more meaty ones when it comes to seafood steamed egg. Gives your tummy a warmed up feeling to make yourself ready for more warm dishes. Much better than the staple: miso soup. Now for my requested main dish: Seafood tataki. I am not sure if it is still in the menu, but whenever I go there I almost always order this. It is seafood with spicy sauce, baked on a half shell. That one really hit the spot. I can't say much about it since I just wolfed the thing down. The dish has a bit of kick, but I was taking it and even asked for a spoon to scoop up some of the burned parts. Mmm, nom nom. I then got my shrimp head from before deep fried and still presented nicely to me. That was yummy, it was crunchy so you eat the whole thing, shell and all. You have to eat this thing in small chunks, but I did it wrong, I ate the antenna side first, I think I should've eaten the back first since it was so large. For my filler plate, I got some nigiri sushi. Not much to say, it's just good to have it at this point because you want to try to fill the rest of the empty space in your belly. Last, but not least, I finish the meal off with dessert. For dessert, he provided me with fruit and mini rice puff on coffee pudding. The coffee taste felt cool refreshing, it didn't have cream to make it feel heavy so it finishes off my meal very nicely. Though, I think the coffee had kept me up the rest of the night, so I guess it is made of real coffee then. I have discovered this place over a decade ago with a couple of friends. Overall, if I have a lot of money or if I just want to have good Japanese food, this is still the place I would go to up until now. In general, don't let the fact that this is in Newmarket throw you off. It may be far distance-wise, but it is not much time-wise (in comparison to suffering to look for parking in Downtown Toronto or some other places. It's a great place to take your significant other on a food trip. read more

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One of or maybe the best place I have eaten in Newmarket I love the atmosphere and the food is amazing the owner is a lovely man who is very interesting will go back again 10/10 read more

Yummy sushi, great service, but I don't think it lives up to all the hype! Decided to try the place with my husband since we live north of the city after seeing it as one of the top ten places to have sushi in Toronto Life Magazine, but still ended up having to drive another 35 minutes north! It was hidden away in an unsuspecting plaza right off Davis. The sushi chef and his family, were good servers, willing to strike up a conversation with their patrons which made service a little slower. It seemed like they had a lot of people who frequented their restaurant, as there probably aren't too many sushi chains in Newmarket! We tried the chef recommended bento box. It was filled with sashimi, 6 tuna rolls, fried salmon, some type of smoked fish, and sushi. This box comprised mostly salmon or tuna. The 3 slices of salmon sashimi and 3 slices of white tuna was fresh and thick cut. Their sushi on the other hand was strange- the wasabi was slathered all over the large ball of rice, and the sushi fell apart before even lifting them away from the box. As someone who frequently eats sushi and travels to and from Japan, the amount of wasabi was just overwhelming.. and I've frequently use freshly grated wasabi - which is much more potent than the powdered mix! I just wish they had a greater variety of fish, less wasabi, and things like ice cream to accompany their meals. We just didn't think for $100 meal (tax and tip not yet included), we didn't leave completely satisfied. read more

Solo Sushi Ya - Recent updates to the menu - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

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After golfing nearby, my son enjoyed dinner here a few months ago. We decided to bring my mom for an early dinner. Cosy, nice restaurant, we had 5 course delicious Omakase at very reasonable price. The fish extremely fresh, soya sauce delicious, likely house made, sushi rice very tasty. We live downtown but worth the drive and will return for another meal soon. The staff and chef owner extremely nice. read more

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I almost don't want to rave about this place because it's a hidden gem. The fish was amazing - tuna and salmon sashimi appetizer tasted like the sashimi we had when we visited Tokyo. Everything tasted delicious and very authentic. Service was amazing! Definitely coming back for more! read more

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I think a lot of other review for this restaurant nailed it on the head. I was searching for a good quality sushi spot to try out an omakase menu and my search brought me way up north to New Market. They do have another location in downtown Toronto (ran by Chef Jyo's apprentice) but I read the presentation and sushi doesn't compare to the original location so hence my trip up north. First off I agree with all other Yelpers, the fish is top notch. I haven't experienced any other fish like it in the GTA. The highlight of our meal was the sashimi platter where I swear the fresh seafood just melts in your mouth. What was a little odd when we had our sashimi was the wasabi, I don't think I ever had fresh wasabi but I think what we had was it as it didn't come in chunks like other places but more like a paste and it was potent. The omakase menu allows you to try a wide range of fresh seafood selections, both raw and cooked, and you will be very satisfied and full. My only criticism, and it's constructive, is that I only wished the chef or the waitresses spent a little more time with each table explaining what exactly they were eating. I'm not a fish connoisseur so there were times I wasn't sure what kind of fish I was eating. All in all it was a fantastic meal, very relaxing atmosphere in this small quaint little sushi shop up north. For all the downtown Toronto Yelpers repeat after me, "Yes it is worth the drive." read more

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I ordered the house smoked mackerel and vegetable croquettes, and I tried some bites of the takoyaki and agedashi tofu. Everything was very delicious, fresh, and authentic! The atmosphere/ambience was also very quiet and calming, and the music was nice and relaxing. The chef/owner interacted with us personally the whole time, and it felt very homey. I would definitely return again and recommend to others! (Hopefully next time I can try the chef's omakase) read more

Solo Sushi Ya - House smoked mackerel, vegetable croquettes - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

Solo Sushi-Ya is an amazingly authentic Japanese experience in a surprisingly remote location. Jyo the owner/master chef is super friendly and takes pride in his fresh ingredients and well executed menu. When we are there we typically go for the $50 omakase tasting menu which I think is of phenomenal value. Here is my perspective on a few of my favorite dishes off the menu: tempura - fluffy and light with just the right amount of batter chirashi don - wow, jyo loads the chirashi don up with a mound of his freshest raw seafood. I'm sometimes wary of ordering chirashi, but not at Solo sushi. I love it when amaebi (sweet shrimp) is in season, and he throws one of those fat sweet juicy shrimp in sushi and sashimi - this is one of the best places in the GTA for fresh sushi and sashimi. Jyo only purchases the best and it shows. If you're a real sushi fan you'll skip the gimmicky rolls that most korean/chinese run sushi restaurants sell and come here for the real deal. Love authentic Japanese and find yourself North of the 401? You'll be happy here! read more

I was brought to Solo by a trio of raging foodies who promised my new-to-fish-eating, vegetarian palate a taste of the sublime...on the relatively cheap. $55 for a quality omakaze is a hot price in this city. Sushi chef Jyo is passionate and ready to explain his wares down to the stream them fish came from, and I appreciate that. Chatting with him feels like an integral part of the experience. Be aware, however, that the man likes to chat...like, a lot. Now, Jyo has an opinion (or two million) so he will openly try to dissuade you from whatever teriyaki business you may be eyeing. But he's right. Say it with me, "oh-mah-kah-zay". Six grand courses of cooked and raw dishes catered to your tastes. The Stand-outs (Japan's food nomenclature is not my strong suit): Oysters (possibly baked) covered in a kind of chive mayo, and the combo is maddeningly good.. This dish is seems to be a staple. A communal sashimi plate with a whole fish (gutted, with the flesh raw and cut up) surrounded by sizable fresh cuts of salmon, tuna, shrimp (heads intact), and another two types of fish (possibly mackerel and a second type of tuna). The fish. Oh, sweet lawd, the fish. It set a benchmark for freshness for any sushi place I've been to since. An ascending tower of sweetish sauce, panko-fried potato croquette, spicy sauce, scallop, shrimp, shrimp's head, wasabi, and a sprinkling of dried herb flakes. Crunchy, sweet, starchy seafood. Awesome. And just when I was about to pass out from all the eating, Jyo sends us each a plate of sushi with three pieces of nigiri, two pieces of maki, and an urchin hand roll to seal the deal. The cuts were hefty and fresh though rice tasted a little too sour for my liking. I don't remember what happened after (the meh) dessert. I think it involved my body being rolled to someone's car. On subsequent visits, the omakaze line up has been nicely varied. Chawanmushi has been introduced for those who crave it. I've also tried the ramen, which is traditional and good. Do call them at least a day in advance (and ask real nice) if you're looking for some noods--the broth takes hours to make. Solo isn't a fancy-lookin' place. It's tiny, simple, and worth it. Their quality and craftsmanship are outstanding and deserving of a pilgrimage to the north. read more

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I love this place. My favourite sushi in Toronto and I drive from North York to come here whenever I can. My family is Japanese and we are very picky!! The soy sauce made in house is sooo good! The rice is perfect and the chef is very picky about the freshness of his fish. I would never eat at all you can eat or 95% of the Japanese restaurants in Toronto, the same as a person from Italy wouldn't eat at East side marios for Italian. I recommend the sushi chefs recommended sushi for that day, or omakase dinner is a real delight so you can try everything. my favourites are the uni, hamachi Kama which is grilled fish collar, and so much more. I love this restaurant so much!! read more

Went into restaurant around 7:00pm the owner turned us away and said we are too busy come back 1 hour ... very disappointed and the way he stated it was very disrespectful! Not happy with this restaurant... we would have come back if showed proper customer service. I had high hopes. read more

The worst restaurant experience in my life. I can't believe the horrible service we received from the owner. He was very rude, hostile, raising his voice and just wouldn't stop, all of that as a reaction on my asking politely for disposable bamboo chopsticks for my husband and I. I can't rate the food because the owner didn't give us a chance to even try it by make a big scene. We were shocked, very uncomfortable and had to leave. The food is very overpriced for the amount. The place looked dirty, so I am glad we didn't eat the food. The owner needs help with his anger management and needs to learn basic human communication skills. Save your nerves, health and money and go somewhere else. read more

Small little restaurant that seats about 35 people. The owner is the chef and he has a sushi chef and a server. We weren't really sure how busy it gets on a Saturday night .....glad we made a reservation. We arrived at six and all the other tables filled up shortly after we got there. We had heard so many good reviews about the Gyosa so we had to try them.....we ordered three orders and the plate arrived and maybe there was 10 dumplings on the plate seems like a lot for $30? We ordered two chicken bento boxes, one salmon bento box. My dining companions said the chicken was really good as well as the salmon - some of the other items in the box there they didn't really care for. We had an order of shrimp and vegetable tempura, a dragon roll, salmon sashimi and a tempura roll. The food was okay nothing outstanding, I don't think I'll be returning I will make a comment with regards to the restaurant itself; I as a diner have an expectation for a restaurant to meet some basic dinning standards, if the restaurant is worn and dirty I think it is the owners responsibility to upkeep the restaurant - if they can't afford to do so........ The menus when we received them were hardcover menus falling apart inside and really had seen better days. The draft of the window was so bad that my father was freezing at one end and at the other end of the table and was a space heater on the floor beside me and I was melting .......obviously they could not get the heat at their end of the table. All of the light fixtures or paper fixtures were falling apart and the restaurant has seen better days from an aesthetic perspective. read more

A 45min-1hr drive depending on where you are, this little Japanese restaurant is tucked in an area not known for Japanese cuisine. I went here because of raving reviews from Joanne Kate's Top 100 in the City where this one is ranked 18, which is the highest among Japanese restaurants she's ranked. Well, what can I say... the entire experience was a let down. The food was unremarkable. Fish selection was horrible especially for Omakase. It seems like their best fish here is Salmon. Staff doesn't introduce the course - we had to ask what the items were. Chef Jyo Gao was at the restaurant but he wasn't even the one who did our Omakase (sushi, sashimi). He was inside the kitchen most of the time. And he wasn't even friendly to us as he should be from what I've read - didn't speak to us but spoke to other tables. Omakase Dinner: 1. Trio appetizer of sweet squash, pickled veggie and tuna tartare - I didn't even know this was a course already so I didn't take a picture. Portions were like side dishes that comes in any Korean Restaurant. The sweet squash was surprisingly good esp for someone who doesn't like veggies. It doesn't taste like squash at all. The tuna tartar was great - fresh and tasty. 2. Chef's Choice Sashimi - This is where the disappointment starts. I love sashimi and it's my basis for good Japanese places. The plate comes with big pieces of salmon (2), hamachi (2), tuna (2), scallop (1) and ebi (1). The scallop and ebi were great - big and fresh. The hamachi didn't have taste. Salmon and tuna were good. But seriously, Salmon and Tuna are Chef's choices?! It's bad enough that there were only 5 types here, but why were half of them basic fish selection. Oh well, maybe sushi will be better. 3. Chawanmushi - custard soup with seaweed, salmon and shrimp. For someone who's not into chawanmushi, this was very good. But sadly, there was a piece of shrimp skin on mine that they didn't peel or remove properly. 4. Miso Mackerel - this was the best for me in the dinner. Fresh and not fishy Mackerel cooked perfectly. The miso sauce was good although very sweet. 5. Chef's Choice Sushi - This sealed my disappointment for the night. 4 pieces of Nigiri: Salmon, Tuna, Hamachi and Scallop. I heard that sizing of sushi is important. I'm used to bite -sized sushi that fits perfectly when you put it in your mouth. These ones were very big pieces that you either had to bite twice or stuff in your mouth uncomfortably. My hamachi had bone in it. What's going on here! And, Seriously?! These are the exact same selection we had in sashimi! Apparently, Salmon and Tuna are the best they got to offer. I feel sad, ripped off even. What kind of Jap restaurant offers mostly basic fish selection for Omakase. My favorite for Jap in Toronto are Japango and Zen. At Japango, although their sushi and sashimi moriawase had basic fish selection, it was not the majority and it has seasonal and high end selections. I've been spoiled by Zen Japanese restaurant where an omakase will never have salmon or basic tuna in them. Zen always gives seasonal or higher end selections like aji, otoro, uni, amberjack. 6. Coffee Pudding - this was the cherry on top of the disappointment. Very unremarkable dessert. It didn't even taste like real coffee - more like coffee flavouring. It's like dessert you'd expect at buffets. Verdict: Not worth the trip nor price. How this got into Joanne Kate's Top 100 (and highest ranked Jap too), I'll never know. Maybe she gets the Critic's Omakase special. read more

Solo Sushi Ya - Travelling Foodie Eats: Chef's Choice Sashimi - TL Chawanmushi - TR Chef's Choice Sushi - Center Miso Mackerel - BL Coffee Pudding - BR - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

As authentic as it gets for Japanese cuisine. One of the few Japanese run Japanese restaurants and their attention to detail is obvious. An extremely far drive to Newmarket, but it's worth it. My previous experience with Davis drive is fighting traffic tickets at the nearby court. My feelings of Davis is much better now after eating at Solo. Had the Omakase which is probably the best way to go here. It was for a friend's wedding party dinner so I'm not sure on the price (~$50 I believe) and we probably got some items everyday customers don't usually see since we had a large party that was booked in advance. The starter was fish liver in a light broth that was delicious. Lost track of all the courses, but the sashimi was really fresh and everything was cooked to perfection. The chef is very passionate about his food and he may be too opinionated for some. But I always enjoy a chef who is overly passionate about his creations. The place looks like a dump from the outside and I initially missed the restaurant all together. If you see a plaza that looks abandoned you've found the right place. That is just the outside. Once inside, the restaurant is very clean and cozy. Overall highly recommended. If it wasn't all the way in Newmarket, I'm sure it would be packed every night. read more

Throw everything you know about restaurants out the window, this place breaks every rule and is the best sushi restaurant I've ever eaten at. This place is very small, unassuming, and barely noticeable if you drive by. But that's why I love it. Chef Jyo is an artist, and his works are the best sushi I've ever had. That is not an easy thing to say. Who would know? This place is top notch, their amazing wasabi is house made, their salad dressing is like no other, and their fish, don't get me started on it. Solo's fish is what sushi should be. The right consistency, not to warm, not to cold, it's the best in Ontario, maybe even Canada. You might shrug at the price of the Omakase, but trust me, you will love it. I agree, it is up there, but you are getting food worth twice that amount. If you don't get omakase, you will still be in heaven. I recommend the Tatoyaki, possibly my favorite food in the world. Tatoyaki is octopus fritters in a beautiful combination of sauces and mayo. Don't miss out on it! If you don't get omakase, I recommend the sashimi deluxe or Sushi university. The University has my fave hand roll, which has a tiny kick at the end. If getting sashimi deluxe, get the one with sweet shrimp, it is AMAZING! The bento boxes have an excellent seaweed salad, and also offer tempura and sushi. On top of the godlike food, Solo's service is awesome. They always greet us with a smile on their faces, and offer great suggestions based on dietary restrictions. Chef Jyo and his wife create IMO, the most authentic, tastiest, and most beautiful sushi in Ontario. Thanks for the excellent food chef! Service 5/5 Food 6/5 Value 4/5 Presentation 5/5 read more

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I just wanted to add my 2¢ about Solo Sushi Ya....as others have already stated, the Sushi is FANTASTIC. I've been to some of the top sushi restaurants that North America has to offer, and the quality of fish and skill of Chef Jyo ranks up there with all of them. I'd driven by numerous times (it's a shabby little restaurant in a Newmarket), and the only time I actually tried to go there (on a Tuesday for lunch), it was closed...but I kept hearing great things about it. Now, if you're looking for $10 all you can eat "sushi", there are plenty of other places to go...and you should, because this isn't one of them. I opted for the $55 Omakase and it didn't disappoint...none of it. The sashimi was top shelf, and every other dish that arrived was equally stellar (quality, presentation and most important, taste). I most certainly would've given 5 stars if this restaurant was a nicer decor...but, it is what it is, the best sushi you'll find inland. The one thing I can't for the life of me understand is, what in the hell is this restaurant doing in Newmarket? It must be free rent or something because, for the most part, Newmarket's other sushi restaurants are of the fast and relatively inexpensive nature. I would most certainly recommend SSY to anyone who knows sushi. You now officially have ONE reason to go to Newmarket! ;-) read more

Took me about 30 mins drive from my home to this place in Newmarket last month. This was my 4th time at this Japanese restaurant having my Omakase menu $75. The place provides a cozy environment that is a perfect harmony to enjoy a meal with friends and family. The owner chef always gave me and my friend an unforgettable & amazing dining experience every time. This is one of the best places to celebrate a special occasion. Recommended this place if you want to try Omakase... read more

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This is quite a gem of Japanese sushi in Newmarket, of all places. Very homey and cosy. Good food. Our favorite are the pork belly, salmon belly, tempuras etc. They also have he great Japanese beers like Anahi Black. Love it! Will return!!! read more

If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, this is the place to go. It's not fancy, not luxurious or pretentious but it's well-made Japanese cuisine. We tried omakase for two since we recently moved up here and at $65 we were full and satisfied. Jyo-San the owner was friendly with us and told us the history of his business and he knows pretty much everyone of his customers. The sashimi was especially tasty (I think it's the way they prepare and store the fish) and the steamed egg was impeccable. The trio appetizers plate was delicately made, tasted authentic and delicious. The fresh wasabi is impressive as well. The only thing I would suggest is that the restaurant needs an update on decor and more items on menu. Would go back again for some authentic sushi, sashimi and hot plates! read more

Solo Sushi Ya - The sashimi from the Omakase. - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

I have not had sushi this good since I was on a business trip in Japan ion's ago. The sushi is to die for. It is authentic and fresh as it gets. This is a hidden gen in York region. You must all try it. Head Chef Jyo is a class act guy. We always get the Omakase menu definetly amazing!!! You must go worth every penny. Their dynamit roll is heaven! read more

素晴らしい体験 !! This is a fantastic representation of authentic Japanese food. More than just sushi, when I returned to Canada from a 4 year adventure working and eating in Tokyo, this was the only shop that was, and continues to over deliver in terms of quality, customer service and calm atmosphere. Bring your own container for take-out and help reduce waste a little. :) read more

If you are a sushi enthusiast, you must try Solo Sushi Ya. This restaurant serves the best sushi I have had in the GTA. The restaurant is located in New Market (which I know for some Torontonians ... it is a bit of a trek), but it's totally worth it. The last time I came here, the omakase was $75/person. You have to call ahead and make a reservation for the omakase. I usually come here with my family once a year. The restaurant is small and very cozy on the inside - it really adds to the authentic Japanese feel. The owner is very friendly and will often come up to our table to make conversation. You can tell that he is very passionate about serving good quality food. A lot of the artwork up on the walls is done by his daughter. He is also impeccably good at recognizing his customers. The sashimi is exceptionally fresh and gives off a subtly sweet finish. My absolute favourite is the scallop sashimi, followed by the sweet shrimp and salmon sashimi. The scallop sashimi is quite sizable and is significantly better quality than what you would normally get at an ordinary restaurant. I always try to savour every bite as much as possible; the texture is divine. The wasabi and soy sauce is high-quality. Unlike the clumped wasabi that usually comes in restaurants, the wasabi served here is smooth and almost liquid; it's spicy, but not harsh. The soy sauce is sweet, instead of overly salty. Once you've had their wasabi and soy sauce, you won't want to settle with what you've had before. Another one of my favourites from the omakase menu is the baked egg custard dish. It's unlike anything you've ever had before. The dish tastes very light, despite housing an abundance of flavours. The egg is combined with fresh chicken broth and baked together with enoki mushrooms and salmon. I would highly recommend the omakase for anyone wanting to treat themselves to a grand Japanese food experience. read more

I'm not entirely sure why the rate is so high. The place itself is cute and cozy, the service is attentive and overall good. The appetizers were tasty. Unfortunately, the sushi itself was pretty bad. The fish was fresh, I'll give them that, but no variation of it was presented in sushi sets, and the lack of skill was quite appalling: the rice parts were enormous both is nigiri and rolls and thus falling apart, the fish slices were sloppy and tiny, the rice itself was seasoned badly and was almost sour. Chef was very chatty and unfortunately not very attentive to the orders. So, maybe come back for the appetizers, but not for the main course. read more

Solo Sushi Ya - Not how good sushi is supposed to look like. - Japanese Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

I've been to the downtown location and first time trying this location over the weekend. I've never been disappointed! Came in for an early dinner on the weekend because we had a party of 18. Told the chef how many people were attending and he took care of the rest. The food we had was similar to the omakase menu except there was a bowl of ramen at the end. Everyone already knows how good the sashimi and sushi are, but the ramen was superb! The sound of 18 people slurping noodles was deafening! The ramen had some bamboo shoots, some pork belly, sprouts, and half an egg. Not cooked like a hard boiled egg though. The yolk was kinda like a medium well poached egg consistency. Delicious! The broth was so good I chugged that faster than I could shotgun a beer! I could probably eat it every day and not get sick of it. That's how good it is! read more

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