Came by here recently for my partner's birthday. The service was so amazing even though we ended up sitting at the table near the window, and not at the bar to see the action up close. Each piece was explained with detail and care. The sushi was absolutely delicious. Some pieces were more fantastic than others. We bought a big bottle of sake which was great but wished we had done the sake pairing in the end. Definitely recommend and will return! read more

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Pros: decent ingredients (but not mind blowing - have your expectations in check). Sake pairing was good but again, $50 for 5 small shots - pricy. Cons: I noticed one of the chef's nail is black and used the same wiping towl for the knife, surface and handing - it ruined the experience When the 18 pieces were done, the chef asked if anyone wanted more without telling us they are gonna charge us for the extra - feeling fooled. In all, won't go back and doesn't worth the $300 bill and one month wait on reservation. read more

This place has the best straight up omakase in Toronto. Everyone shows up for their reservation and we are all seated at the same time. No menu, $80, 18 pieces per person. Get a seat at the bar so you have a view of the sushi chefs hard at work. They serve you one piece at a time, and the progression and timing of the whole meal is perfect. A server will come by and show you a picture of the fish that you will shortly consume. I wasn't sure if i would be full after "only" 18 pieces...but towards the end, I was definately full....in a good way. If you're not, you can go back and re-order any of the sushi that you just had. Honestly, we've been to Kaji, and that is an amazing menu as well...but Yasu is where you want to go if you want strictly sushi. read more

I love this place! I've been here a couple of times now and it's been a treat every time. Yasu was my very first omakase experience and it definitely set the tone for every other omakase/sushi place I've gone to afterwards. This is the place I recommend to all of my friends who are either visiting Toronto or want to try higher end sushi. I love that the fish is seasonal to ensure the freshest fish possible and also allows you to have something new every time you go! I also find that this place has the most exotic fish flown in (e.g. a lot of them are from Japan, Boston, BC for the uni, etc.) which is really neat. I will also happily note that I've been to Japan and the quality and flavour of Yasu is definitely up there. The service is great and I highly recommend sitting at the bar rather than at the table to get the full experience. Thanks for a wonderful time and I will definitely be back soon. read more

Let us get the negative out of the way for indeed the negative aspects are very real and present. 1- Reservation requires a credit card with the provision that you will be charged if you are a no-show or try to cancel past their deadline. So the experience does not begin kindly or politely. Yes, money talks in this world, but service wins customers more. 2- The atmosphere, sign outside, decoration and system are not Japanese. It is an austere setting. 3- The set dinner times are untraditionally harsh. You have to leave by a certain time as they are sitting the next merry-go-round and you cannot enter even a couple of minutes before your seating because they are not ready for you. of course, it is reservation only and there is not any other option. People huddle outside until they are allowed in. Yes, nothing so far about this restaurant is Japanese! There is not a menu at Yasu. You get a set course pre-determined by the restaurant (omakase); however, they ask about allergies and are cool enough to offer you substitutions and extra nigiri for additional charge at the end. Most importantly, however, the sushi was excellent and on par with Toronto's best. Hard to imagine the owner, who was not present the night we went, used to operate a takeout sushi joint. This is authentic sushi presented by trained Japanese folk and unlike the other sushi joints in the area and so half the customers were Chinese-Canadian. A lady next to us was Japanese and was spoken to in her mother tongue by the chef Ken who has been living here for 14 years. The night started with the chef's recommendation that sushi be eaten in one bite (who remembers Mikado?). Also, the wasabi (actual wasabi not the powder crap) and soy sauce are applied by the sushi chefs so this is not the place for those people who like to pour a saucerful of soy sauce and mix pretend wasabi in it. Here is what was served: Hotate from Hokkaido Kani (with kanimiso which is the innards of the crab which was my first time) from Kumamoto, Japan Negitoro (in an original cute nori square) Ankimo (monkfish liver) with sweet daikon (my first time with this combination) Shimaaji from Ehime, Japan where one of the waiters came around with a picture of an Aji fish on a tablet Shimaaji from Portugal Akaebi from Argentina whose slightly bitter taste was a lowlight (then again it was a shrimp) Chutoro, otoro and akami, which are three parts of the same fish, were served together like a tuna train with the last one being zuke or marinated Ikura Two kinds of uni (from the East Coast and Vancouver) and the Eest Coast one being better Kanpachi from Kagoshima, Japan Shimesaba Hay smoked Katsuo (my first time having hay smoked bonito) Anago, which was falling apart Tamago, which was so smooth and linear I thought they had cut Castella cake As a bonus we requested kinmedai aburi... The fish was excellent, the cuts superb, the cutting superior and only the slightly coarser rice and slightly smaller nigiri left something to be desired. This was a 9/10 experience and for the quality and quantity of 18 pieces the value is the best in town. Thankfully, they are not charging customers a lot. The chefs were experts, polite, explaining things, friendly and not pretentious (this was the best part after the fish!) either. The washroom was clean. Yasu is a clear instance of a restaurant that one would revisit. read more

The food is melt in your mouth fresh and the cooks are amazing. I had heard about these places in Japan so I am so happy to finally exprience it here. My only thisn is that the ambiance was a bit too quiet.. but again, it is about the food!!!! soooooo amazing. a must go. read more

I was a bit skeptical at first because coming from Vancouver, I feel like sushi in Toronto isn't as good (I know I'm a tad biased) But with $80 dollars for a person it was AMAZING. The combinations were amazing for example, Scallop with pink Himalayan pink salt and yuzu sauce. I've never had this combination before and the flavours balanced itself great. It's a bit pricey so might only come back if there's a special occasion. Check for last minute cancellations! Sometimes if you check on the site there might be some late 9:30pm bookings available :) read more

You want to make a reservation early for Yasu, so you will be seated along the sushi bar. My girlfriend and I sat at the table, and our food came to us a little later then everyone else with every course. This reservation only restaurant serves omakase style, with no a la carte. Perfect for date night! Decor is modern, but I could've wished for a little less lighting as I felt it was a little too bright. The sushi was very fresh and in season. We definitely had a great time. Only complaint was they didn't have a corkage fee so we couldn't bring our own favorite bottle of sake. read more

Be prepared for the best omakase experience in Toronto. The chef and his team's dedication to their craft is second to none.

Best sushi in town! Went there three times already and the food was amazing each time! The chefs also made the experience even better! Try to ask for middle seats since the view of the kitchen is better. read more

Excellent. We loved it so much we went back for a second time. What a wonderful meal! And the special menu by Chef Yasu was even better than the regular menu. Worth every penny! Looking forward to going back next time we're in town! read more

Yasu is on par with the top notch sushi restaurants in Tokyo. It is expensive by Toronto standard but the same meal in Japan could easily cost double or more. Other reviews have gone in depth to describe the food in great detail and thus it's hard for me to add much value in that regard. However, a relative ranking should help highlight the food quality. Yasu is a hair better than Shiro's in Seattle, which is head by a chef who is an apprentice of Jiro Ono of Dreams of Sushi fame. That's how good Yasu is. read more

Great price for the tasting menu. Been to Michelin starred omakase restaurants in Japan and this is quite a comparable experience.

I had their omakase $80 with the sake pairing $50. The pairing went well in the first round but the other rounds didn't make any difference, especially the last sake pour with the ginger ice cream -it didn't make sense. The chef gave me another piece of uni for $8. My only concern is a lot of the white fishes taste the same, with different texture. The other unique pieces were amazing, IE: baby squid, or the eel from Peru. read more

Elegant sushi! Only a dozen seats available in the small place. Every customer gets intimate experience with the chef and will definitely be taken care of. Not sure I understand the wine, but really enjoyed the sushi and dessert. read more

Very good food, good atmosphere, and a very kind chef. No problems whatsoever. Definitely would recommend even though it is a bit pricy for sushi. read more

Amazing little place, limited seating only 14 people at a time. Make a reservation if you are coming. This is the real deal, no sushi will be good enough after this one read more

Top-notch service, very elevated traditional omakase experience. We sat at the sushi bar in front of the chef and he was exceptionally attentive, describing the origin of each fish and answering all of our questions. The best part of the experience is watching the chefs expertly craft each piece of sushi with incredible precision and expertise. There were many delicious items (several of which were so good that we ordered extra!), but unfortunately a few small missteps that brought my rating down from 5 stars to 4 stars. The good: all of the fish was very fresh and very delicious. A variety of flavours from clean, slightly sweet red snapper to firm (almost crunchy) aji to creamy hamachi to melt-in-your-mouth otoro to perfectly seared sweet raw shrimp. Personal favourites were the smoky, umami bonito and sweat, creamy, and intensely rich uni from Vancouver. Things I would have changed: the sushi rice was inconsistent: sometimes it was too warm and sometimes it was a tad too dry such that you could feel individual grains in your mouth (this only happened with a few pieces, but is still a consistency issue). Tamago looked and tasted like cheesecake. Ice cream dessert has clearly been through a freeze-thaw cycle, as there were large ice crystals. I would still recommend Yasu to anyone looking for an authentic omakase experience and exceptional service; just a few small tweaks and that recommendation would be without reservation. read more

A wonderful place where they serve you a traditional omakase sushi dinner. The attention to detail in the service, presentation and the freshness of the food is as authentic as the high end sushi restaurants in Japan. The fish, as everyone has noted, is flown in from around the world. The spot prawns from Alaska were so frisky, they almost didn't stay on the chef's cutting board as he prepped them. The restaurant is delightfully small making it seem like you are being catered to at your own private table. Remember to make a reservation and ENJOY! read more

Love this place! The fish was really fresh and everything was amazing. The service was great really recommend the sushi bar so you can see the sushi chef work their magic! read more

Yasu - Some of the 18 pieces of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is a late review. I went to Yasu in September 2015. I would give this place a 4 when compared to sushi restaurants in other cities, but given that we are in Toronto, it's definitely a 5. It's a small and cosy place with friendly staff. The fish was fresh and of high quality. The omakase included 16 pieces of various sushi, 1 maki and 1 handroll. Try to get a seat at the bar; watching the chefs do their thing was pretty fun. read more

I have been to Yasu several times. Each Occasion was a wondrous event indeed. from the moment I sat down till the final course I was mesmerized. The chef is a virtuoso, who prepares each course by hand one by one, part of the experience is just watching him prepare each piece, and the excitement you feel as he places it on your plate. At the price of $80 dollars, it is literally a steal. I do not think many restaurants in the GTA can give you a similar experience at that price point. This restaurant is one of a Kind read more

Amazing experience. A seat at the bar is a must to watch the show. I went over and above the standard 18 pieces, ordering and additional three of my favourites for an additional cost of about $6 each. Overall, a very serene and relaxing meal. List of fish seems pretty static lately, but as far as I recall (not necessarily in order): - Striped jack - Red snapper (certainly not your garden variety stuff from your local take out sushi) - Sea eel - Monkfish liver - Cod testes - Salmon Roe hand roll - Bluefin Tuna x 3 (lean, fatty, extra fatty) - Uni (urchin) x 2 (east coast from Boston/west coast from Vancouver) - Seared shimp - Scallop - Hay smoked mackerel - Fluke - Amber Jack - Sweet tamago - Ginger ice cream Made return trips to the fatty tuna, scallop and smoked mackerel. read more

Best place for quality sushi! Have gone a couple of times and its seriously the best place to take friends and family.

4.25/5. Yasu is great (it was actually quite difficult to get a reservation) and intimate. All the pieces were really fresh and the price was definitely fair for the quality of the sushi served. We won't spoil any of the details but their egg was surprisingly one of the highlights of the night, and that's not to say that the sushi was bad; that was just how good the egg was. read more

It was a nice and fun experience and the chef explained every sushi for us. The fish selection was great we also had the seasonal squid. My personal favourite is the uni and scallop and we actually re-ordered them. Definitely one of my top choices if i wanna impress a close friend/family visiting me in Toronto with Japanese food. read more

I lost count of how many times I came here. It's just a pleasure to eat here everytime. A1

Service 5/5 Food 4/5 Now you may be asking yourself, why the 3 rating? One reason, portion size. I know i know this isn't an AYCE sushi joint but come on the amount of raw proteins they give you at each course is meant for a 5 year old. Dont let the pictures fool you, it's tapas sized sushi. read more

I went there with a couple of friends for the first time and I really did enjoy my meal. Fresh food, solid menu. The sashimi was just amazing. I recommend this place to anyone read more

worst experiences ever, I booked an appointment in a week advance, could't make it due to emergency, called and email the restaurant a day before my reservation to explain and hope to reschedule it to a later day. The staff told me it's not their issue and ask me to find someone to fill my spot or they would charge me full meal price regardless. I tried to explain it's an emergency and if they can just change the date to a later date ( not cancel it if they can't). The staff answered the phone was rude and told me I need to be there on time and nothing else they can do or would do for me and it's my own issue. ( note I called a day earlier, not right before my reservation) I have been to plenty of restaurants ( low-end to high-end) in Toronto, and I also had to cancel reservations in the past but I was never treated this way in any restaurant in the past. I wanted to try this place for it's high rating food but I would never go back in the future. There are plenty good Japanese restaurants in town and I'd definitely not recommend this place to anyone. read more

My parents had an anniversary dinner and we decided to go to Yasu. We were expecting to get a similar service we always get and Sushi Kaji or Shinobu but this was not the case. It was a major accident right in front of our house and police closed the street so I called the restaurant and I told them that we will be there at 6 and if its ok instead of the 5pm reservation. Keep it mind it was 3:30 when I called them. Waiter said it will be no problem. We came at the restaurant at 6 and I told that my mom and brother are parking it will take a few minutes. The waiter came back and said that we would need to leave by 7 and they will give us remaining of the food on a take out. We drove exactly for 3 hours from Maple because of the accident and would never do it knowing that we have less than hour to eat. I told the waiter that then we would need to leave and I asked him to tell their manager to call us back. Instead of that they charged my dad's credit card for $300 and never called us. I have been in many high end restaurant around the world, but this is worst ever experience I had. It been a week since and no one even called me. I will try to speak to a manager or owner one more time and if this would not work ill seek a legal advice. Its not about the $300 , they ruined the occasion and we drove for 3 hours to the restaurant and for one hour back. read more

We went to Yasu yesterday and we were so excited as it took us 4 weeks to get the table and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. This intimate spot seats 10 at the bar and 4-6 more people at the tables at the back. We were lucky enough to sit on the bar and watch Chef Yasu at work. One could tell from the first cut he made, that the man is passionate about his art. And was it a treat to watch this man and his team at work. The fish was so exotic and the sushi and sashimi was some of the best I have eaten globally! Its a def def must try if you are big sushi lovers as we are. We will def be going back there! read more

Yasu's omakase has a global feel, sourcing ingredients from different parts of the world, keepin' the perspective fresh ;)

This place really deserves 4.5 stars, but they're still new and not quite deserving of the full 5. However, this is as close to a true-omakase style sushi meal that you will find in Toronto, and at $80 per person for this quality of fish, it's actually good value. I have been fortunate to eat at many amazing sushi restaurants in the US and gotten their omakase (Urasawa in LA, Masa / Nakazawa / 15 East / Ushiwakamaru / Ichimura / Yasuda / Azabu in NY) and while this isn't quite to that level, at this price point, it is close, and certainly the best I've had in Toronto. Sushi Kaji for many years was the king of Toronto sushi, but having gone there many years ago and then again a few months ago, I feel they've "sold out". The fish quality has deteriorated significantly, and the sushi-making is much less personal now given they expanded the bar (Kaji-san makes every one's pieces at once now, and then servers come and bring you the pieces on a plate)... Kaji's tasting menu also provides more cooked dishes (which are good, but nothing spectacular) and is more expensive. I'd much rather go to Yasu now over Kaji... Anyways, back to Yasu. This is traditional sushi omakase (nigiri-only, no sashimi). The fish quality is excellent, and you get ~17 pieces in total + dessert. Many pieces are flown in from Japan and Europe. The fish has that "high-quality taste", with the soft "melt-in-your-mouth" texture. The preparation is a bit below what I've experienced at the top-end sushi restaurants, though still with good attention to detail. For example: for each fish, the chef at Yasu made 6 pieces at once, rolling the rice nuggets all first, placing the fish on and making the sushi, and then adding the garnishes / sauce if necessary). True sushi chefs at the highest level will make their pieces one (or two) at a time, and then place the sushi immediately on the customer's plate. The temperature of the sushi after leaving the sushi chef's hands is important for sushi at this level (and why you're supposed to eat it in less than 5 seconds after the sushi is placed on your plate). Can most people (including myself) taste the difference? Probably not. But they say it makes a difference, so just thought I'd point it out. In fairness though, as another reviewer has said, Yasu-san makes sushi for the 4 people at the end of the sushi bar closer to the kitchen. I was at the other end, and so our sushi was made by the other chef. Did not know who was Yasu-san until the very end of the meal, so didn't notice whether it was any different at the other end of the sushi bar. Conversation with the sushi chef was fairly minimal but for him mentioning what the fish was and where it was from. Service was also a tad on the overly casual side, for a restaurant of this calibre. I enjoy banter and friendliness from servers, but at times this swayed to the unprofessional side of the spectrum. Overall, a fantastic meal, incredible sushi and at a reasonable price for this quality of fish. Toronto needs more restaurants like this! I will definitely be back! Sushi Pieces I got (will vary based on season and availability) - Sea Breen from Greece - Fluke from Boston - Bonito - Lean Tuna - Monkfish liver - Blowtorched scallop - Sweet shrimp - Salmon roe - Uni from Hokkaido (a very small piece!) - Sea bass - Snow crab - Blowtorched tuna belly (chutoro) - Yellowtail amberjack - Horse Mackerel - BBQ Eel Handroll - BBQ Eel sushi - Tamago egg custard read more

I very much enjoyed the omakase experience set by Yasu. I recently came back from Japan and can say that the quality of sushi served here was either on par and even better than some sushi I had at the Tsukiji fish market. Some of the sushi in the 18 piece dinner definitely gave me a "wow." All the pieces melt into your mouth as sushi is supposed to, but what stood out for me out of all the pieces was the Uni. I was never a fan of Uni due to it's plain, bitter taste until I tasted Yasu's which was full of flavour. Yasu's service was as expected with the food, good. Chefs were also friendly and seemed to enjoy interacting with customers. I will definitely come back next year. read more

Its absolutely overhyped. The food is just ok. Not high end sushi for sure but better than average. The chef in the middle position offer different services standard for different customers. I don't want to say its racism but its not professional for sure. Disappointed in general. read more

Everything about this place was perfection. We went in with high expectations and did not leave disappointed. The taste and presentation of food was impeccable. Everything was so fresh and came from different parts of the world. The service was also highly attentive, friendly and not pretentious at all. It was such a wonderful experience to be seated at the bar and watch the artists at work. It's hard to pinpoint what our favourite piece was, but if I had to choose, I'd say uni (sea urchin). Fresh, buttery and a hint of sweetness. The bill was hefty, but we came to celebrate my husband's birthday. Well worth it! read more

First omakase experience and it did not disappoint. First of all, we had one sushi chef taking care of our party of 5 plus 2 do it felt extremely personal and exclusive. The speed and pacing was also perfect, and the selection was pristine. Absolutely recommend for the reasonable price and fantastic experience. read more

4.5 stars but minus 0.5 for not taking American express...any high end restaurant should accept Amex. ..

Great Japanese food, great people working here, fast, efficient and the food is tasty.