We love the food. Gohan and the miso eggplant were our favorite; the kids menu is a boon too. read more

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We had a reservation early evening and when we arrived were promptly greeted by a server. She seated is and gave us menus and informed us of any special items they had atm. She then left to let us peruse the menu. We took awhile to look so we were asked at once point if we were ready and we sis we needed a bit more time so the server was delightfully accommodating and said whenever we were ready to give a server a call. Later on when we were ready our order was taken by a male staff member. We ordered a decent amount. Miso cheese eggplant, chawan-mushi, fried fish collar served in some kind of broth, 8pc nigiri omakase, blue fin tuna&uni hand cone, another hand cone but I can't remember what was in it..wifey ordered it, vegetable tempura and a black truffle dynamite roll. The highlight for me was the black truffle dynamite roll, it's taste was perfect. The right amount of truffle used and not over powering like I've had at so many other venues. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted. It was smokey, earthy and tasted wonderful. The miso cheese eggplant was delicious, slightly salty from the miso and wonderfully roasted soft eggplant. The fish colar in broth was light and delicate, beautiful flavor and texture. Chawanmushi was soft and delicate, excellently flavored. The omakase which had fish from Japan was delicious, super fresh and masterfully prepared! The tempura came with a green tea seasalt which was different but very nice. For dessert we had the green tea tiramisu which was very tasty. The restaurant itself is small but cozy and wonderfully decorated. My wife and I had a wonderful meal and I would go back for special occasions. read more

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We made a reservation for 2 for a Saturday dinner about a week in advance as the place is fairly small. This place serves up some nice Japanese food of various kinds, from small plates to sushi. We got the Obanzai small plates - nanban-zuke, okinawa mozuku sunomono, broccolini, and scallops. I liked the small plates but the prices are a bit steep - 7 each or 26 for 4. We got the grilled miso BC sablefish collar that's nicely marinated and perfectly cooked. Just be mindful of small bones but otherwise I am a big fan of this dish. We also got the firefly squid staub gohan that is decent. The flavors are very subtle and it is a fairly big dish with good amounts of squid. If you are looking for bolder flavors, this dish may not be for you. Service is good as requests are fulfilled in a timely manner. We got the genmai-cha tea pot that you can get complimentary hot water refill and that is pretty good quality. read more

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Got an omakase here. It was 9 courses from appetizers to entrees, plus dessert. The cheesecake was so delicious! You can also get a sake pairing - I had a fruit sake flight to go with it. Our friends have been recommending this place to us for a while. We finally got to try it out and we were not disappointed. My favorite was the maple duck dish. read more

A Japanese restaurant that I'm willing to spend an hour on the road each way to dine in. Hawaiian music and decor with good ambiance. Regular service - I prefer the lady server than the guy server who I feel he's too cops. Food wise - I particularly enjoy their hot dishes - my favorite is the grilled sable fish collar. The chicken karaage is the best I have tasted in town. Soft shell crab hand roll is delicious. Must try the dessert with mochi, sesame paste, fruits and matcha ice cream. Highly recommend. read more

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Solid authentic Japanese cuisine in Burnaby - a very enjoyable meal! Decor and ambiance here is suited for date nights or small groups. We chose to order a la carte to create own set meal to our liking. Some nigiri pieces are set at higher price point, around $12 per piece so it could be better value to order the chef's recommended sashimi or nigiri sushi set. Didn't choose omakase on first visits because I enjoy watching the chef at work when dining omakase style. Seeing the chef thoughtfully prepare and present each dish elegantly is a visual/sensory part that completes the omakase experience for me. The small tables here place diners close together and the servers would be the one bringing out each dish. Value-wise, comparing final bill costs, omakase variety looked like a fine menu choice. And I may adjust expectations and order their omakase as if selecting a fancy tasting set meal combo and dismiss the "chef presentation or performance" part. Stem Surprises: 1) Best Ramen Been in the mood for ramen noodles lately. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this eatery with such excellent ramen. Perhaps I totally didn't expect theirs to be so much better than those ramen only restaurants in town. Their ramen noodles was 5 star - excellent pairing with duck and a perfectly boiled egg plus dipping soup. For this month, Stem definitely has my vote as serving my favorite Ramen in Vancouver! 2) Extensive beverage menu with varied choices of wines, sake and cocktails etc. If memory serves me well, they had over 3+ pages of drinks to choose from. They even offer different sake flights at great value - I could visit here just for drinks and sushi if they extend their hours. 3) Walk-in success I was happy we got seated within 10 minutes with no prior reservations as round 2 customers. (Lucky timing when first group paid bill and ready to leave.) 4) Dessert was homemade! Delicious home made desserts was my must order item at the end of my meals to wrap up a wonderful dining experience beautifully. We ordered the matcha tiramisu and home made black sesame ice cream to share and both were good dessert choices. 5) Great menu diversity from sashimi to sushi to cooked fish and beef items and even some vegetarian options. Honestly, I liked EVERY item ordered! (It's yummy foods when I was focusing on eating and didn't take photos of all dishes.) Some cooked dish such as the miso cheese eggplant was heavier in taste for me and I preferred to pair it with a bite of sushi rice; yet I rate this item's overall preparation & taste as excellent. Since we are so blessed in Vancouver with a wide variety of Japanese cuisine, I may suggest ordering your favorite items to see if chef prepares it to your liking plus order a new item you've been wanting to try - hope you find a dish that brings you joys or stimulates your palate!! Stem is a cozy place where one can eat yummy foods, enjoy favorite drinks, and be merry with good company :) read more

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I'm giving 3 stars because while the presentation was cute and delightful, the food quantity and taste were just okay for me. Fancy Japanese restaurants like this tend to be overpriced for what they offer, and unfortunately, the meal wasn't filling at all--both my husband and I were still hungry afterward. We tried the Valentine's Day special omakase course meal, but I personally prefer the course meal at Hawksworth. I celebrated my birthday dinner here, and while the food might appeal to others, it felt mediocre to me. I wouldn't return for my own birthday, though I might consider coming back if a friend wanted to celebrate here. Their service was decent - the guy was patient & explained each course meal ~ the dessert was good (I personally like Japanese dessert in general so they are usually tasteful). I'd like to give it another chance by trying their regular meals not as a "course meal" usually Japanese course meals aren't too filling. Japanese sake/wine was not included in the meal (quite delicious but such a tiny bottle)! read more

I'd been wanting to try Stem Japanese Eatery for ages so I was super excited when my husband and I got to join a group of people from Lower Mainland Eats for dinner at Stem Japanese Eatery. The dishes here were so elegantly presented. Presentation, flavors and service were all very impressive. Featured here: Soba Crab Roll Miso Cheese Eggplant Sweet Potato Tempura Local Duck "Tsuke Men" Grilled Yuzu Soy Marinated Wild Sockeye Salmon Chawan Mushi Obanzai Grilled Shoyu Koji Local Duck Breast Grilled Miso BC Sablefish Collar Renkon Hotate Shinjo Hasami - Age Matcha Tiramisu Only the first 5 dishes on this list belonged to us. The remaining dishes belonged to other people but everyone at the table was kind enough to allow us all to take photos of each other's food! My husband enjoyed his Duck "Tsuke Men." He said the meat was tender and flavorful. Miso Cheese Eggplant was amazing! We both loved this dish sooo much. Sweet Potato Tempura also blew us away. It was incredibly crispy, didn't feel greasy and was accompanied by an amazing truffle aioli. We have been disappointed a number of times in the past when we ordered or purchased truffle foods and didn't taste any truffle in it. The truffle flavor in this aioli was very prominent so we were very happy with it. The Sockeye Salmon dish was cooked and served in a Staub Cocotte which was a cast iron dish, slightly smaller than an average sized Dutch oven. I loved how piping hot this dish was. It was great for warming the belly plus the Ikura (salmon caviar) really added another dimension of texture and flavor to the dish. The sensation of the Ikura popping in my mouth was similar to the feeling I get when I bite down on boba poppers, and I love boba poppers! Soba Crab Roll was the one dish that was just OK for us. It was more impressive visually than it was when we popped it into our mouths. There was nothing wrong with it, but it just didn't really excite us either. When my cup was empty I asked for more hot water, so our server refilled my cup. I was impressed when she came around later in the evening and refilled it again, without me having to ask this time. Many other restaurants will only refill if/when I ask, or else...they don't even refill at all. Service: Excellent Parking: Free parking on the street Location: 5205 Rumble St., Burnaby, BC read more

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This is a top notch place. From the service to the freshness of the food, it's not a place to miss.

Tried their omakase 4 times in different seasons. Ingredients are always seasonal that's why their menu is always changing and different! Excitement every time! Every dish was carefully designed and plated beautifully. There are some unique ingredients that you don't normally try in any other restaurant such as shiso blossoms, rare fishes, mini crabs, and ect you gotta experience yourself! I am pretty satisfied with most of the dishes except for their uni. I love uni and would always order uni whenever they are available. However, I found it a bit fishy and not as sweet even though they are imported from Japan. I have tried better Japanese and local uni somewhere else. Overall, my experience is great there but might avoid uni until they are the better grade and quality. read more

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Pretty good quality for Japanese food. Super delicious. The take out menu and the eat in menu are totally different. B lives walking distance from Stem and we decided to do take out instead. I ordered the miso sablefish colar and B got the meat lover. For an extra $5 each we made our meals into bento boxes. The total came to $55.65. We were also with our friend C and she got the meat lover bento boxes as well and also an order of the miso cheese eggplant. I tried some of her miso cheese eggplant and it was super delicious. I liked how the cheesy flavor blended in perfectly with the miso flavor. My miso sablefish was super delicious. It was chared to perfection. I really like the outer crispiness. It was very flavorful. The bento box came with premium high end Koshihikar rice. It also came with Dashi Egg Omelette, Potato Salad, Fried Prawn, Gomaae, Daikon Beer Pickles and Nanban-Zuke along with the main entry. I would definitely go back again. Note that the dine in menu is pricier than the take-out menu. If you want to do take-out, you need to place the order before 4 pm on the day of pick up. read more

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What an Amazing eatery! This is officially my favourite Japanese farm to table establishment in town. Whenever possible when it comes to dining out, I always go for non GMO food options. That is how I eat at home and wish more places would make that consideration. Worth the drive from Vancouver to Burnaby. Every single dish were excellent from presentation to the taste profile. We started off with 2 soups miso and bonito dashi. Then came our assorted appetizers of the day. The flavour were fresh and presentation was exquisite. Next, onto the nasu (eggplant) agedashi which is SO good. Following that, the black cod collar was simply satisfying. I even asked the server what was the special sauce on the sauteed kale. It was yuzu and ponzu but the combination paired like heaven and earth. Balance and beautiful! Our ling cod tempura is not your typical tempura. It is a combination of many complimentary ingredients (vegetables) and the texture again wow us! We finished the night off with the duck ramen. Yum yum yum! Wish I had room for dessert as the assorted were so enticing and different. We can't wait to be back! Thank you for your beautifully crafted meals last night and the wonderful service. read more

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Sitting for ten minutes with no water offered, I asked then finally here is my water, and the waitress just left without taking my order and then another 10 minutes passed read more

It's so nice having an award winning Japanese restaurant in the area and not having to commute downtown. We went for the omakase kaiseki, which was $100/person for 9 courses. Each course came out at a good pace and we were there for 2.5 hours. Drink prices are reasonable and I would recommend starting your night off with the 3-kind premium sake or fruit sake flight. Service was excellent and our server provided a detailed explanation of every dish. I loved the presentation and uniqueness of these dishes. Looking forward to coming back to try their regular menu! read more

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Grayson and I don't go out for anything too fancy very often because it's just not who we are but every once in a while we decide to go for something different. This was one of those days. STEM Japanese Eatery has been on my mind for a while now but there hasn't been a good time for us to go until now. STEM is pretty small on the inside with a few bar spots and some tables scattered throughout the restaurant. The day we visited there was a larger party so most of the tables were taken up so we were glad we made a reservation ahead of time. We took quite a while to decide on what to eat because there was so much to choose from. They had a regular menu and then a winter menu with seasonal items. We liked how they had this because we love it when restaurants have feature menus that reflect what is local at the moment. Onsen Tamago Rating: 5 out of 5. This came with 64 degree rabbit river farm free range egg, dashi espuma, koshihikari rice, kale stem and dried shrimp furikake. I know it sounds super simple but it was AMAZING. I'm still dreaming about it as we speak. You wouldn't think some thing this simple would be so flavorful but it was packed full of umami! The dash espuma was foamy and silky while the egg was rich and creamy. The shrimp furikake added crunch and the rice just soaked everything up. Perfection. read more

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As you can tell I love Japanese food so Anti-Japanese food lovers beware! I've been passing by this little restaurant too many times to not try them. I can tell you that prior to this visit I've tried to call in, drop in and have been both kindly denied so making a reservation ahead of time is highly recommended. Also not recommended for hangry people if you decide to wait for an open table. They have a regular menu and an "autumn" menu which is available at the moment. If you plan on coming again, I would try as much as you can from the autumn menu as it won't be there for long. As this was our first visit we wanted to try as much as we could so we decided to start with their seasonal appetizer TRIO, followed by their mackerel nanban-zuke, shittake wagyu minced cutlet, wild salmon nigiri, 5pc of Chef's omakase nigiri and staub gohan with salmon. Everything was Oishi! As it's on the pricer side for Burnaby, be prepared to spent but it's great place for a date or celebration. Parking can be hard to find so plan ahead. Overall we were very happy with their presentation, vibe and friendly staff. I would definitely come back! read more

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Amazing japanese fusion, the decor was excellent. Restaurant is high end so be prepared to spend!

Hey don't go here. Good luck getting a seat unless you book your table 1,000,000,000 years in advance. The omakase WILL MAKE YOU CRY ITS SO GOOD. The plating is spectacular, the flavours just destroy your senses. I can never say anything bad or what would make you not want to go. Watch for available cancellations and book in advance. read more

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This is a little hidden gem offering nigiri & sashimi that would rival the best of them in downtown Vancouver (such as Miku?). In general, I think the dishes are unique and tasty. The prices are definitely not for every day but more special occasions. I think it's wonderful to have such high quality sushi without having to go downtown. The sushi were served without any soy sauce dish or extra wasabi, similar to an experience I had in Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market. Expect $6-9 per nigiri and $14-17 for hand rolls. I tried the omakase, 8 pieces at $54. Besides their fresh fish menu, there is an extensive izakaya style menu with many ingredients sourced locally and prominently featured in the menu. We didn't know what's good so we ordered a variety. Soba noodle crab roll - so uniquely done wrapped with lightly crisp nori. I think we could have poured the sauce over top because dipping the roll into the sauce was not enough. Waygu beef tataki salad - love the addition of quinoa in the salad and dressed well. Zucchini blossoms stuffed with prawn biodynamic (??) and tempura fried - the inside reminded me of a deep fried crab claw at Chinese banquet dinner. Love zucchini blossom so a must order for me! Finally, Waygu beef & kabocha croquette - so creamy inside but I can't tell the ground meat inside is Waygu. I love the non-alcoholic drink, it has a Hawaiian flair to it. It was really refreshing! They even offer beer from Kona, HI which adds to their 'theme'. Tons of free parking on the street so definitely another bonus compare to downtown. Their service was very attentive & almost impeccable. Our dishes were cleared promptly and were provided clean dishes before the omakase arrived. The reasons I offered my 5 stars rating! read more

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Hidden gem in Burnaby! Make reservations because this place is quite busy. It's also a little bit on the pricier but I think the creativity and presentation of the menu makes it a worthwhile gourmet experience. The place is pretty small but tables were spread out enough for privacy. With a reservation for 3 we got the back table which was very nice. We (2 people) had the duck tsukemen, deep fried shrimp stuffed zucchini flowers, squash and beef croquettes and an uni shooter.Everything was marvellous and I'm honestly getting hungry even recounting the meal. The flavours were really balanced and rich. The uni shooter is a tad expensive for being a shooter but if you love uni it's really refreshing and delicious. I'd definitely come back for more. Their menu is quite extensive as well. read more

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If the location was convenient place, I would give 5 stars definitely. When I stepped in, I already loved the interiors. Not like typical cheap made sushi restaurant but noren(entrance curtain) and tatami-sheet bench for wall side made me feel I'm in someone's house in Japan. I felt very comfortable, casual and authentic same time. If you have been to Japan before, you might feel same way. My friend and I had 6 dishes and sake flight. Some of them were not so impressive but I highly recommend BC Ling Cod Kakiage. (We ordered twice. Haha) It took a while to cook completely but worth it. It's like beer can size tempura which contains lots of ingredients. Veggies, cod and mochi. Outside is crispy and there is dashi sauce over it. I would say Japan featured the most delicious creation in Vancouver. Matcha cold soba was so tasty too. Perfect hardness for noodle. And not only noodle dough, you will see matcha powder over it. Very refreshing dish for warm evening. And it was quite small but I enjoyed Butterbur Salt Kinpira. When I was in Japan, my family neighbors gave us wild butterbur but since I live by myself, the opportunity to have it had gone. Kinda shameful and I didn't expect I will have it in Canada. This restaurant has seasonal dish menu and this was one of them. I recommend you to try something seasonal and explore new flavor. They serve interesting ingredients which you won't see in grocery store easily. read more

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Came here for dinner with an out of town guest at my husband's suggestion. Large menu, so large that we were overwhelmed by the choices. There is a seasonal menu and a regular menu. There's a 9 course omekase, which requires 24 hour advance notice. Legit Japanese- run Japanese restaurant. My husband got all nostalgic after finding a menu item that he used to eat when he lived in Japan and has declared he's coming back again. Prices are actually quite reasonable, we paid $120 for a 9 course meal for the 3 of us, which also included tea and dessert. We left the restaurant with full bellies. It's a fairly small space; reservations highly recommended for peak dining hours. Free wifi AND free parking. (1 hr parking limit in effect until 6pm) read more

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Really solid Japanese izakaya style food. Everything was very slightly on the salty side, but that's standard for izakaya food and fine. Highlights were the onsen tamago (which was way more than an onsen tamago), the wagyu tataki, croquettes, and Staub gohan. I'd order these again for sure. The only slight disappointment was the tempura. The tempura breading was a little thick, very slightly soggy, and the oil didn't taste great. I think this is still the best Japanese izakaya style food I've had in Vancouver but a long way and will definitely come here again and again! I want to try their courses next. read more

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The first time coming here was many years ago and can't recall how it was then. Decided to give this place a visit again so booked a reservation because they get busy pretty fast from my experience before and not much into the waiting game. Easily found parking out front on the street, greeted by the staffs when arrived and were promptly seated. It's one of those little casual and cozy ambiance restaurant. About 12 tables situated along the wall with seats by the sushi bar and a simple Japanese Hawaiian decor all around. After glancing through the menu, here were the food I ordered; 1. Decaf Genmai Tea ($4 pot). I am a bit divided on restaurants charging for tea especially restaurants with a higher price tag. 2. Island Sakura. A little refreshing drink. 3. Uni shooter. Pretty decent and tasty. 4. Soba snow crab roll. The matcha noodle was a bit over cooked, a little too light taste wise for me. 5. Vegetable tempura. Was having high hope for this one from others reviews but fell short, nothing special especially for $18. 6. Wagyu beef tataki. I actually enjoyed this dish, should've ordered some sake with this one. Very tender and flavourful, all the ingredients were well balanced. 7. Chef's selection 5 kinds of sashimi. The selection of fish was okay but the quality fell a bit short cause 3 kinds of the fishes were quite dry. Was a bit disappointed. Thats why always a better idea to order a few nigiris to try first before spending over a $100 in ordering a sashimi platter. 8. Dashi maki (dashi omolette/ tamago). It was okay but I personally would preferred it to be more firmed. 9. Anago nigiri (whole anago/ eel). Very tasty, moist and tender. You actually get the whole eel. 10. Uni, engawa, shima aji. The uni was tasty and fresh. The engawa and shima aji was okay but it was on the drier side If minus the flavoured sauce. 11. Akami, chu toro, o-toro. The Akami were a bit bland, the chu toro and o-toro were missing that nice rich buttery taste and texture. Definitely failed to deliver especially for the price paid for. 12. Green tea tiramisu. It was okay, had better. 13. Cream anmitsu. Pretty good, like an adventurous dessert. First time coming back here after many years and a bit excited especially many of my friends praised and frequent this place. This place has casual yet cozy ambiance to it, maybe it's the simple layout or its simple to the point decor. The services here were pretty good; our waitress and other servers were very attentive and courteous, all the chefs behind the sushi bar were very friendly and welcoming. As for the food, I definitely think they could've been better especially the sashimi and the bluefin tuna nigiris. For $500 with tips in for 2 people, to me it fell short on the quality. Overall, I am not a believer of the hit and miss or chefs having a bad day; good is good, bad is bad. It's not as if we pay less for food when a chef is having an off day. Anyways, just a straightforward review of my dining experience here this time around. read more

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Stem Japanese Eatery is located 10 mins drive from Metrotown. Finally, we got a chance to have dinner at this place on my friend's birthday during the COVID. It's a small Japanese restaurant. If you are driving, you can park the car across the street from the restaurant at 7 Eleven or Market Place or on the street. Inside the restaurant, there are few small tables and only 2 big tables. If you have a large group, I highly recommend calling this place and make a reservation first. It's very hard to understand the menu without a picture. We just randomly ordered a couple of dishes from the menu. It turns out quite of bit good. The sushi and sashimi are quite of a bit pricing, but they are fresh. read more

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It's a cute little restaurant a not a very busy area down by Nelson and Rumble. The Japanese Eatery is decorated with cute Hawaiian decor and plays Hawaiian music in the background. It provides a relax atmosphere in the busy restaurant. Even when the place is full and people drinking, it's not loud. They have a large food and drink menu. It could be a problem for indecisive people. We really enjoyed their food. We ordered from both their seasonal and main menu. Their duck dishes are really well made. It didn't have the gamey flavor that I hate. I like their adventurous use of ingredients like persimmon. It was my first time eating persimmon tempuras! I never thought I would be eating cooked persimmon. I must say their whisky wood smoked salmon is a must order! The place is really busy so reservation is a must. There are street parking around. I am interested in trying their omakase next time :) read more

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Great customer service, and quality is fresh! Would definitely recommend but a bit on a higher price point, but worth the quality. Especially the toro & uni hand roll. read more

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Prices are not cheap at this Japanese eatery but their quality of food and exquisite bento take out boxes made it a memorable and well-worth it meal! We started with the kaisen chirashi don and there were delicate slices of fresh sashimi upon a well flavoured and not quite sushi rice-rice. It had a nice chew to it and topped with little bits of seaweed for an amazing base! We also went with three of their bentos including the meat lovers (katsu pork, wagyu cutlet, chicken karaage) which came with rice and an assortment of small dishes. The little dishes were our favourite, each adding a different element of sweet, salty, sour and of course, umami. My favourite was the cauliflower and brussel sprouts salad while tamago was also a standout. The cod karaage had the same bento side dishes but the cod itself was lightly battered and tasted just like chicken karaage usually would. Onto the wagyu bento, this was a box full of different variations of wagyu beef including minced cutlets, pan seared, mixed into the rice and as nigiri. We really liked the tender cutlets and their delicious mushroom base for the slices of cooked wagyu. Although pricey, this bento's quality of beef was worth the price! We also added on two sides including another order of chicken karaage (which wasnt anything special but our family loves chicken) and pumpkin beef croquettes. This one was creamy on the inside and although added even MORE fried dishes to our night, was devoured. Overall, you are definitely playing for quality and variety at STEM but we were all pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the food tonight! read more

My Japanese grandma doesn't like STEM Japanese Eatery... I think she's wrong :| If you want beautiful entrees and the most amazing apple pie with ginger ice cream (I think that's what it was) then go here! Lots of love, Owen read more

STEM Japanese Eatery - What's in this photo? I really don't remember but it was yummy :nP - Japanese Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

It's a really cute Japanese eatery with a very tasty omakase, staff are very friendly and you can make a reso over the phone or by email. You can also order individually as well if you don't want their set meal. read more

As my fellow Yelper Mari E has already noted , this place is indeed somewhat off the beaten path . But what a hidden gem ! We enjoyed almost EVERY single dish , from beginning to end . I just wished the price point for the seafood potted rice was a tad lower , but considering they're using halibut AND Staub cast iron that's really nitpicking . The BC red wine flight is terrific value while the fruit sake flight perfect with desserts . Absolute must-try ! read more

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Sitting quietly on Rumble street in Burnaby, away from the hussle and bussle of downtown lies an unforgettable Japanese restaurant true to its roots. I wasn't very familar with the name but my partner was raving about this place so I walked in not knowing what to expect. Parking on the street is free and relatively empty. I was satisfied with the COVID precautions they made as everyone was seated far apart and sanitization stations were all around. From the intial service to the bill, the service was very attentive, although some dishes did take a while to come but we were warned beforehand. Atmosphere was soothing and warm, enhanced by the restaurant's wooden decor which reminded me of my trip to Japan two years ago. We ordered a lot of food and everything was delicious, but the freshness of the nirigis stood out to me the most. O-toro, hamachi, scallop, uni, are just some of my favourites. Freshest scallop I've had in Vancouver and they currently have hairy crab since it's in season. I also really liked the kabocha croquette, it was so light and fluffy but very cripsy on the outside with umami bursting at the bite. The matcha tiramisu was a suitable way to end this meal, although it left me wanting more. STEM really follows true to the virtues of Japanese cuisine, highlighting the natural taste of fresh ingredients and creating delicate flavour profiles. It is on the pricey side, but I would defnitely come again for a special occasion. read more

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After seeing that STEM received the Gold for Vancouver Magazine's Restaurant Awards, I knew I wanted to make the trip to Burnaby to see how it differed from the other Japanese restaurants around town. It still seems to be a place where not a lot of foodies know yet, and I like the fact that its location away from city centres also keeps the place manageable and enjoyable without lineups. There is only street parking outside the restaurant, but its free and shouldn't be hard to find. However, that doesn't mean that this place is a ghost town, because it's still a full house every day. My experience there has always been extremely pleasant, and I enjoy dining at this hidden gem with my guests. Chef Yoshi and Chef Tatsuya always greet their customers with a warm smile and thank you for coming after your meal, even though they and their team are working busily in the kitchen. I would agree that this restaurant borders on high end Japanese food, but it doesn't go crazy with prices and you get the quality you pay for with an adequate quantity to fill you up. I've been here a total of five times now and three of those times I have done the Omakaze with out of town friends, even though just ordering a la carte off the menu is a treat in itself. I particularly love the ease of the dessert portion of the menu. You can't go wrong with it and you might just end up ordering one of everything on there to share, instead of hitting up the usual bubble tea or ice cream joint after dinner. My favourites that they have are Sake-Kasu Ice Cream and Matcha Azuki Anmitsu. Their tea options are also quite special and last many steeps. How I promote this place to my friends is that this is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in farm to table Japanese cuisine, with locally sourced produce and Japan-imported ingredients. One thing to note is that Stem's dishes are not immediately salty. I sometimes find that most of the flavors here are more on the subtle and delicate side, but they are very flavorful and let the ingredients sing for themselves naturally than places that coat a dish with sauce. Things are marinated with care and attention here, especially their treasured Ichiban Dashi that STEM prides themselves with and which creates a foundation on which to build many other dishes on the menu. Be sure to check out the Dashi Omlette, Soba Crab Roll, Grilled Miso Sablefish Kama, Haida Gwaii Ling Cod Tempura (Kakiage Style) and Staub Gohan options. There are usually two or three Staub Gohan offerings and it's a great choice to share with your party. Omakaze switches seasonally if not daily and it costs $88 for 8-9 courses, which is an absolute BARGAIN considering the exorbitant $150 for 8 pieces of nigiri other places charge around the city. When you call in, there may also be an additional nigiri option that you can add on for $10-12 dollars. I can guarantee that you will leave feeling full after this omakase, also thanks to the delicious Staub Gohan rice that accompanies the Omakaze as a dish meant to be shared. I love how the Omakaze offers you the chance to try a little bit of every highlight on the menu and spotlights seasonal ingredients for the week or month you're there. The staff do a great job with explaining each element of the dish and all the flavors work in harmony with each other. There's often a dish that has interactive elements like soup in a teapot, and all the dishes are artfully presented in beautiful bowls. In total, the whole course meal takes around 2 to 2.5 hours, so you have lots of time to chat or discuss the food you've just eaten. Be sure to call ahead to book at table at your earliest convenience, but this place also opens at 5pm and you will only be able to call then. The food menu on the website is usually the same, but the seasonal menu is usually a few months behind, so it may be a surprise for some to see a different menu upon arrival. For Omakaze, you need to give at least 24 hours' notice and drop your credit card information so they can make sure you show up, but you won't want to miss this. During the COVID-19 situation, STEM is now offering a lunch/dinner takeout menu for pickup only and cook at home meals, so be sure to support this local business if you're in the area! read more

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We lucked out getting a table spontaneously with our foodie friends. Great service. Cosy ambiance. We shared many dishes and loved it all. Recommend reservations. The menu changes with the season, so always something new to try along with new cocktails. read more

Price is high but perfect for date night or a special occasion. Food is amazing and the service is ok. read more

STEM Japanese Eatery - This little place is perfect for a date night or special occasion. The price is high but absolutely delicious. - Japanese Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

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My boyfriend and I came here for their Valentine's Day omakase and were very impressed by their unique dishes and flavours. All of their dashi broth is flavourful and strong. We liked the wagyu tempura and the black cod with the cauliflower goma tofu (so interesting!). My boyfriend claimed their duck breast was the best he's ever had. We thought their non-sushi dishes were better than their sushi though. The omakase had 6-7 courses and we felt pretty full at the end of it. Service was wonderful and the staff all seem authentically Japanese. Price for the omakase came down to $145 for 2 people, which is a complete steal for omakase AND on valentine's day. Read my full review and more pics on my blog: https://sincerelyloewe.com/stem-japanese-eatery-valentines-day-omakase/ read more

STEM Japanese Eatery - Japanese Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

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Pretty good omakase experience a week and a bit ago. Been itching for a night out and wasn't sure what to expect. Not our first omakase here but decided on a fairly close by, small place as our first venture out and they were totally pro. Table of four, for the two of us. The extra space was for them to place our food, also for us to return the used plates and they made sure we stuck to it! Experienced a quality prepared and visually appealing meal. Always a lot of fun to get the food blind, at the chef's discretion and experience a lot of different flavors and styles. They were well organized and we appreciated it! Lucky to have a place like this in Burnaby and not need to go downtown. The draw back is, you don't get the downtown options for after dinner entertainment. Right now with covid19, it's kinda the most we can do to enjoy ourselves a little, minimize contact, trying to keep things safe! read more

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From the outside, this unassuming Japanese restaurant located in a residential area in Burnaby on Rumble just off Royal Oak looks to offer your standard Japanese restaurant. However, step inside the restaurant and you'll find an upscale Japanese restaurant offering dishes with superior plating, utilizing some of the best locally sourced ingredients, expertly and creatively combined to produce some amazing flavours. I came here on a Saturday night, and the place was packed, and you couldn't get a table without reservations, although there were a couple spots at the sushi bar. The space has a bright modern izakaya vibe to it. The tables are packed quite tightly. Service was attentive throughout. We ordered a number of different dishes, but the standouts for me were: Mizore Chicken, Onsen Tamago and the Wagyu Tataki. Portions are on the smaller side, and the prices reflect the quality of the ingredients used. They do charge for green tea (and offer other types of tea) and have a pretty well stocked bar. read more

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We came here for a late dinner on a weeknight. Great customer service. Japanese servers or Japanese in general are very polite. A server handed us a few different menus. The restaurant has a wide variety of options in terms of food. Most of them look very delicious. We ordered both warm and cold udon as we love udon and we ate a lot in japan. We wanted to compare if the udon here was good or not. We also ordered cold soba, some nigiri sushi (beef, prawn, and ikura), chawanmushi, and mackerel salad (cold appetizer). All of them were delicious but this Japanese restaurant is more luxury and higher end. We should be paying attention to quality but not quantity. This is a good place if you are treating friends, celebrating any special occasions, dating someone, and having a gathering with friends and family. Pricing is a bit more expensive here than other Japanese restaurants. It is worth it though. There is street parking. We did not see any parking lot to the restaurant. The location of this restaurant is close to 7-11 or buy low supermarket. The owner was so brave to run this restaurant in the middle of nowhere. There some new developments going on in this neighbourhood. Probably the environment will change and this neighbourhood would be busier in the future. read more

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STEM just opened up a month or so ago and I finally had a chance to try it out. The decor was a simplistic, natural design with light wood colors. I'm not a huge fan of the unfinished wooden benches, but that's only personal taste. I liked that they had a cohesive theme. Some of the dishes were unique and well thought out, but some needed improvement. Favorites are: Butternut squash agedashi tofu - tofu was silky with a layer or butternut squash, while the outer shell was crispy. Really well balanced and the sauce wasn't too overpowering. Onsen egg mixed with mushrooms and dashi - Sounds simple, but the egg was soft, fluffy and paired well with the marinated mushrooms. Oysters - I love raw oysters so as long as they're fresh without any shell bits, I'm happy. Squirt some lemon on and I can eat them all day. Needs improvement: Eggplant with cheese and miso - cooked properly and texture was perfect. Flavors were a bit too salty, but if they can tone down the saltiness, this would be my top 3 dishes. Uni shooter - I'm a sucker for uni, but again, this is too salty. I had to down my cup of tea after this shooter. This place is a repeat for me and I hope to try their other items on their menu. Food arrived at a pace that was a bit too slow, but maybe they're just working out the kinks. read more

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