the book of negitoro When it comes to sushi in Vancouver, I am very particular because the city is s.a.t.u.r.a.t.e.d. Seriously. Vancouver has a lot and in the world according to me, there's sushi and then there's GOOD sushi. My sushi 101 is at the bottom of this post. Sushi Van is clean, moderate sized space that's subground. Service is friendly and quick and the sushi - as good as it looks: Chopped scallop - fresh & tasty Negitoro - super - soft, melt in your mouth tuna belly If you have attention to detail, you will notice the rice is a funny colour. That's because Sushi Van serves green tea rice. My only problem with Sushi Van was that they serve this green tea rice. Wholly unnecessary. Their menu has an entire page dedicated to explaining the benefits of green tea rice. Me? I don't really care. It didn't taste any different and I highly doubt it actually makes a difference. In the end, I judge sushi restaurants on the negitoro roll. It is my first love. My true love. My one and only. It must be the right colour (a pale white pink), the right smell (odourless), the right texture (soft and melty), and the right flavour (fresh). It must also be less than $3.75. Who says I'm particular?!? I am so not. But seriously, hitting all these points is easy. And it's what distinguishes good sushi from the rest. I liked Sushi Van, in spite of its gimmicky rice. It's good sushi. read more

I'll give this place a solid 3 stars. It's nothing special, but not bad. The tempura is ok, but it came with broccoli, which I didn't really like. The batter didn't get fully cooked because it was soaked up by the fluffy part of the vegetable. The vegetable gyoza are a bit strange - I'm not sure what the creamy white stuff in it is? I did like the udon and teriyaki dishes, and I like that there are some options with kimchi in them to mix it up a bit. It's a good place to go for a quicker sit down lunch, and you can also pick up pretty quickly too. read more

Hidden gem in the city. A must try for all sushi lovers. Try the nude boy roll and the Tokyo tower :) read more

Sushi Van - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This restaurant has quick service and fresh sashimi. I always have the spicy combo which is pretty good. They slather a bunch of spicy sauce on the top, which I could do without. But the fish tastes fresh and the price is reasonable which is why I keep coming back. They also have pretty funky menus. read more

Very very limited veg rolls/options and one of them has cream cheese, maybe 4 max. Also you cant get the Benton boxes to go. Not impressed with this place. Food was just ok. read more

Sushi Van - Vegetarian bento - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Friendly service, great prices for good sushi. Green tea rice was an interesting touch, but don't worry, there is no difference in flavor from normal rice! We tried the caterpillar role, California roll and vegetable roll, all were fresh and well sized. Will be a new cheap sushi favorite! read more

Sushi Van - Caterpillar roll and veggie roll - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I was walking down Granville Street with my wife and we hadn't really had lunch yet. We were actually babysitting our 11 month old nephew and took him for a walk as he likes walks. After a short jaunt he happened to fall asleep in his stroller. Score. Perfect time to grab a bite while he was out for a nap! The restaurant is down some stairs and actually has a couple tables outside,which is where we ate. The menu and selection is decent. My wife had a teriyaki chicken box which came with a California roll and tempura. I ordered a combo which allowed me to have a roll of my choice (under $6) and 5 pieces of nigiri. I had an unagi roll. Overall, this is an average sushi joint. They aren't going to blow anyone away but like most Vancouver sushi joints, if you're in a pinch it works. On another note, the service was good. Attentive, even at the outside tables, and accommodating. read more

Sushi Van - Chicken teriyaki box - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Super cheap, pretty good sushi. The service is the quickest ever and you can order to take out. Don't forget to like their Facebook page for free edamame ;) read more

I had the sashimi bento box. These are often just standard affair but this place is making an effort here. As good as any of my favs down in Yaletown. Won me over and will be a regular, for sure. Very good sashimi- nice and cold too. read more

Sushi Van - Free miso soup with every Facebook check-in. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The sushi is great - I enjoyed the tea, miso soup, best ginger dressing I ever had, and sushi/sashimi bento box. The yum yum sushi was melt in your mouth good. Same with the tempura appetizer. Unfortunately, service was slow. Plus The Bachelorette was on a giant television in front of me and we should really avoid feelings of nausea in a restaurant, mmmmkay? Let me guess, The Kardashians were on hiatus? Whatever people, try some music next time. It helps aid digestion. Thanks! read more

Right at the corner of Broadway and Granville, this little sushi place is tucked away below street level right across from Chapters. I've been super curious about the Tokyo Tower (because I've scrolled past alot of pictures on Yelp) and decided to finally try this place out. I ordered the Tokyo Tower, chopped scallop roll and sashimi. Order took a bit long but its forgivable because everything was fresh. Sushi Van does not skim with ingredients nor quality. Presentation is also a plus. I will definitely return! read more

Good California roll and very light and not oily tempura. HOWEVER- the raw fish was really fishy tasting and nowhere near sushi grade. I would never return unless starving and even then I would only order cooked items! read more

In the hood. Best place. Different items like sushi pizza are yummy. The prices are very reasonable. If you go on your birthday you get your age discount! I like the Tokyo tower; it's well presented, as is everything on the menu. The atmosphere is nice and the staff are very friendly and efficient. read more

The quality has gone down in this restaurant. We ordered the sashimi salad which came as tiny scraps on yellowed iceberg lettuce and no other vegetables. Asked to return it as it wasn't what sashimi salad usually looks or tastes like. The waitress took it away and at the end said we still had to pay for it. I've never heard of a restaurant forcing you to pay for food you returned. This was a first and very disappointing. read more

Average sushi place. Line is not too long, staff tried to answer promptly but they seem understaffed.

I have been here for lunch on multiple occassions. You cannot go wrong here as the food is well prepared and the service is fast and curtious. My usual order is the sashimi and beef teriyaki bento box. This lunch set comes with the miso soup, salad, roll, tempura and a scoopful of rice. It's a nice place for lunch. Everything on the menu is reasonably priced. read more

Excellent sushi, good vibe, fast service, fun special rolls. Would definitely come here again, even if it's just so I can order the "Shrek" roll.. tonight we tried the "Nude Boy" roll! read more

Take out order from sushi van. order a negotoro roll inari nigiri and sal avo roll. so disappointed to found a little sand or i gotta say little stone in the negitoro roll. will never go back! read more

Sushi Van - not eatable stuff in the negitoro roll. little STONE!! - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Tried this place for breakfast. Food was good, service could have been better. I was under the impression they would give us a tea pot, but they did not. First time in Vancouver, and I wouldn't mind coming back again. read more

Sushi Van. Not what I would call a catchy restaurant name. In fact, the name might even deter me. But remember!! You shouldn't judge a book by its cover!! I decided to give this restaurant a chance just over a year ago...and now it is one of my go to sushi places. This sushi place has all the regular "special" rolls - dragon roll, caterpillar, etc, but they go above and beyond, creating their own rolls that I haven't seen anywhere else in Vancouver - one of my favorites is the nude boy, as it uses sashimi instead of nori to make the roll. They are also fairly diverse when it comes to the appetizer menu. (tuna four way, takoyaki, sushi pizza, twist potato) It is also important to note that the sashimi here is very fresh. The taste is very good, as well as the texture. (not like some places where the salmon is very stringy or hard to chew and the tuna is partially still frozen) The tempura here is also worth commenting on. Many restaurants have tempura that is just thrown into the deep fryer with batter on it, resulting in a oily blob. The tempura here is very crispy and doesn't leave you feeling sick afterwards. read more

I have been here a few times and it is always good. Fast service, beautifully prorated and affordable. A find.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Sushi Van. For $9, I got a combo that included miso soup, 5 pieces of nigiri sushi (tuna, salmon, ebi, tamago, and clam), and a Salifornia Roll (a specialty roll that is a Cali roll with salmon, deep fried). I usually skip nigiri combos because they are so pricey, but felt really good about the price point here. The presentation was very pretty and neat for the price (at other places, it can be downright sloppy) and the sushi was really good. I also took advantage of the 20% back-to-school discount this month for those with a valid student ID. I will happily go back for my sushi fix. read more

I live very close to this, so my husband and I went in hoping we'd found a great new convenient place. Sadly there was nothing further from that to be found at Sushi Van. The first time I came here with my husband, it was their second day open. It took eons to get our sub par food. My husband was given the wrong meal and it was cold when it arrived. We were both supposed to get miso soup and didn't. I was given food with a hair in it! When speaking to the manager/head waitress about the hair in my food, she simply apologized. There was no offer of a new meal or discount given for the disgusting hair I found. I decided to cut them some slack as it was only their second day open, they were busy and obviously working some kinks out. I took myself there for dinner one night a few weeks later. I went when the restaurant was nearly empty. I sat reading my book while I waited and while I was eating my meal. While still eating my meal I had the waitress come up to me - not to ask how my meal was once - but to say 'Are you ordering anything else? No? Okay you can pay now then'. I was mid bite and being told to essentially leave. Being rushed out when the only other customer who was in the restaurant was waiting for their takeout (and they were still open for a few hours yet) is incredibly rude. It's a shame it's not any good since its so close to me. But I'd rather walk a few extra blocks and go somewhere with polite staff, good food and find no hair in my meal. read more

Service was perfunctory. She got my order right, but was not otherwise attentive. Plates were brought to me silently and I was never asked how the food was. I had the tuna sashimi 4 ways... the fish was passable, but the sauces were odd. Only the gomaee tasted good. The nigiri was unpleasant, no flavour to the rice, and the saba was slimy. In general, not inedible (other than the saba, which I spit out), and really cheap. Would not return. read more

I had been coming to Sushi Van on a monthly basis since it opened a couple of years ago. The food is poor to mediocre and the prices are average but have been gradually increasing. Tonight I decided never to return. My dinner was accidentally brought to another table and I had to wait an additional 25 minutes for my meal while my partner had her food. The person who received my food had their meal comp'd by the waiter. I figured a similar offer would be made to me, the person who was actually inconvenienced by this scenario, but I was wrong. I complained that my dining experience had been affected by their accident but neither the waiter nor the manager were willing to do anything about it. They said I could pay the bill or walk out. I paid the bill and walked out. They lost a customer that could have *easily* been retained. All I asked for was equitable treatment; that they give me the same offer as the person who ate my food, who wasn't inconvenienced, and I stay a customer. They were unwilling to extend that offer to me and couldn't provide any reasonable explanation as to why. read more

Good enough. Sushi dishes are generally crowdpleasers in a fusion asian style with a strong korean base. Quite noisy when we were there.

I have been a fan of Sushi Van for a number of years. This year however, due to Covid, was my first time I place an order for pick up. I placed my order over the phone and was given an order number and was not asked for my name and/or phone number. After I hung up, I thought it was weird as name and phone number is common a request. When I arrived, I repeated my order number then got in the car to leave. While in the car my boyfriend checked the receipt and it was the wrong order and order number. I get it, I probably should have checked the receipt myself. We drove back to the restaurant and explained the mix up. Turns out the person's order we were given was seated waiting for his food. The lady asked him if he wanted the order we were mistakenly given and he declined. I felt bad for him but happy to finally have our food to go. A minor frustration but please, please ask for name and phone number when taking orders! Sushi was great as usual :) read more

We particularly enjoyed the dragon roll -- one of the best we've ever had! They also had great service.

I was a little intimated coming here based on the geographical location, however, at closer inspection of the menu I realized that not only were they reasonably priced but they have all the usual suspects. The customer service was awesome, turn around time for sushi was quick and of course refills on tea. There is a lot of space but it does get busy after 6 pm. read more

Try the volcano roll! The rice has been grilled and got that nice smokey flavour topped with spicy tuna. Something to try if you like spicy tuna rolls. Fast and friendly service. read more

What an amazing find! This spot has the freshest ahi, try the tuna four way and the very delicious udon and gyoza. Love this spot!

I go to school right by south Granville, and sushi van is always my top choice if I want food on my lunch break. It's cheap, quick, and delicious! I'm vegetarian and they have a good selection of vegetarian rolls. Some of their special rolls (with meat) look delicious, however; relatively intricate and well thought out. Overall, a comprehensive menu. Staff is pleasant. I've never actually eaten in but when I walk in for takeout the presentation of the rolls looks beautiful. Plus if you check in on Yelp you get a free miso soup! I will continue coming back here. read more

The sushi and the wakami salad are great! All of their ingredients are super fresh and taste amazing. Great prices and a nice atmosphere. Good environment to visit with close friends. Love it! read more

I was so surprised since busy intersection food joints are usually sub-par. but dear god...the sushi here was SO good. the white tuna roll = my fav. great friendly staff, creative menu, delicious food, will go again and again ! My new fav joint! read more

You can't get much less glamorous than this below street level shop, but the fish is fresh and reasonably priced, and the rice is done just right. I love my uni, and they are often out of it even in season. The tuna is just right, whether as sashimi or lightly grilled. Excellent value and friendly service. Great beer prices too read more

Disappointed. Food wasn't anything to write home about and was actually more expensive than most other sushi places. Seemed like low quality rice too. Best thing was the sashimi. It was good quality. read more

Amazing sushi here!! The service staff are excellent too. I go here for lunch at least once a week and always have a good experience! Since i work right across the street its fast and reliable. The spicy salmon cones are always a favorite of mine to order. The beef bento box is pretty good too!! read more

This is one of my husband's favourite sushi spots. Not only is it close and convenient but he loves their sashimi salad - this coming from a guy who refused to eat raw fish before! Definitely a must try! read more

I'll be honest, I'm not normally one to experiment with sushi. I have a favorite and have stuck with it for YEARS! Yesterday I thought to take some out-of-town friends for some of Vancouver's best sushi, but I forgot that my #1 choice is closed on Sunday. I wanted to change the cuisine entirely but, in the end, we decided to try Sushi Van. I cringed at the idea and prepared myself for some average, at best, sushi. The experience was quite delightful. Excellent service (fast and friendly), very tasty sushi and with an inexpensive price tag (pitcher of beer, glass of wine and sushi for 6 for $100!!) I am sure to be a repeat customer. read more

Great sushi! Worth the wait as they are busy for good reason. The prices and service make it even better. Close to shopping on Granville.