Food: 3 Stars (per Yelp standards, it means "A-Ok") compared to my Michelin-starred sushi omakase experience in Japan (never got around to write that review). Experience: 5 Stars because I was able to interact with the sushi chef, Vince. As my fellow yelper Chris W said, this interaction made the experience much more enjoyable. It's a much more laid back environment compared to my experience in Japan. If it is just you and another guest, grab a seat at the sushi bar and enjoy. Overall, the food quality doesn't match the high-end sushi I had Japan. However, the difference in price is probably double. Summary: a) The temperature of the fish and rice were not at the optimal temperature; b) I'd prefer more vinegar in their sushi rice c) the horseradish in their wasabi is powerful (I told Vince to cut back on it and he obliged); and d) the fish is pre-sliced Long-review below: Ordered: Sashimi and sushi omakase Each course was explained in great detail. The first two courses were appetizers. First course was abalone with noodles in some soup/dashi. The soup/dashi was cool in temperature which made for a refreshing start. The abalone was tender. I really enjoyed the flower pedals sprinkled over the dish. The floral flavour caught me be surprise. Second course: (via pictures) On the leaf like bowl: Octopus (normally comes with duck breast but I abstain from meat on Friday), some savoury cake, and some fish. In the blue vessel, fish with crispy skin. In the cup, baby shrimp with some noodles. The soup/dashi was slightly different from the first course. All the proteins were cooked well. Third: Sashimi course I have no idea what I had. There were some Hokkaido scallops, wild tuna from Boston, trout... There was nothing fishy about any of the pieces. Pure and simple. The highlight for me was the piece of fish that was touching the lemon. The citrus really complimented the fish. Miso soup: Piece of fish at the bottom had a very meaty in texture. Fourth: Sushi Chef Vince would explain each sushi piece and the origin of the fish. The highlight was the seared tuna belly. The smoky flavour imparted from the blow torch and the fat melting in my mouth made for an "Oishii" (Japanese word for delicious) comment. I also enjoyed the sushi topped with Japanese chives and ginger (see photo for the sushi with green stuff on top). The onion flavour was so pure and the ginger provided a slight warming undertone without over-powering the piece. Lastly, the uni was simply perfect. Creamy and smooth. The best part was the taste of the deep oceans waters that lingers. Sourcing quality ingredients and treating it with respect. This is Japanese cuisine at its best. We added mantus shrimp (aka pissing shrimp). The shrimp is boiled. The shrimp was mild in flavour. Its texture and the surprise of the roe were the highlights. Zen does not end their sushi omakase with the traditional tamago (egg). Instead, they offer a hand rolled chopped tuna sushi. My first bite was mainly seaweed and the rice. Their seaweed imported from Japan is wicked good. I would have been happy if I just snacked on the seaweed. Fifth: Dessert Imported Japanese melon: It was okay... Soy bean ice cream: Tasty and not overly sweet. Gritty texture, but still enjoyable. Match and almond flour cookie: Crunchy and tasty Mochi: Average read more

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The best sushi in Markham. I've been here twice, and I've enjoyed the second time a lot more sitting at the sushi bar watching the sushi chefs work their magic and craft. I highly recommend sitting at the bar; that way your sushi is prepared as it's made one at a time rather being served all at once. It's rather snug with the other patrons beside you at the bar. It's not as intimate and elusive like yasu is, but rather zen is more casual and relaxed. Reason being, Zen is slightly bigger and the chefs have to create sushi for the surrounding tables, so it might be confusing to follow at times. The interior is simple and clean, it quite wonderfully embodies the Japanese philosophy of minimalism. We ordered the 14 piece omakase for $95 per person. On the price spectrum for omakase, is actually one of the better value ones around. I'd peg it at a slight notch below yasu, but for $40 less then yasu, I can't complain. I ordered some other appetizers on my first visit here, but decided they weren't anything special so we opted not to get them. We were simply here for the fish. The fish was really fresh; most are melt in your mouth - especially the o-toro, and the uni. I was really surprised at the size of the scallop, shrimp, and the sea eel. They were massive! The sea eel and the goiden snapper were blowtorched. One of my favourite things were the negi toro handroll which was warm, crunchy, and just the perfect amount of fat and umami from the o-toro. The garnish and finishes to the sushi made a huge difference whether be it salt, zest, or kabosu. The chefs were considerate enough to ask for feedback on how they were doing in terms of wasabi and in general. The perfect way to finish off your meal is with the mandarin orange cream pie which really rich and sharp. The cracker crust was really soft and was wonderful. Highly recommended. read more

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The tasting menu offers unique flavours and range of fresh seafood. I was just so surprised by all the beautiful dishes and plating, it's definitely never boring and I guarantee they'll have new dishes every single time! read more

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Solid 3.5 stars. Came for dinner with a couple others and called in advance for a reservation to sit at the bar - got the omakase sushi course for 1. Started with a cold noodle appetizer, followed by another appetizer of one-biters: shrimp with sesame, fried fish with grated radish, miso black cod, sweet egg cake, and a thin piece of duck breast. Then there were 13 pieces of nigiri and a chopped tuna hand roll along with a miso soup (our fave was the super sweet uni from nigiri, the hotate and the anago). Dessert was a great end to the meal - came with a slice of cantaloupe from Japan, a scoop of soybean ice cream with red beans, a green tea cookie, and a delicious mochi in soybean powder. Why not a 4 or a 5 star, you ask? The overall quality of the fish and attention to detail/handling of the fish was lacking a bit (and perhaps this experience was specific to our sushi chef as we noticed a couple of the others being more attentive). At one point there was a long gap between our nigiri pieces and we looked around and the chef was chatting with one of the tables (probably a regular). Typically this wouldn't bother us but it it was a good 12-15 minutes before he came back to serve us the next piece of nigiri. One of his fellow sushi chefs noticed us sitting idly for a while and looked around for him too. What was slightly irritating thing was that while he was chatting, he left a few pieces of our fish on the cutting board just sitting there which just felt slightly off. They also didn't slice any of the fish to order as everything was pre-cut when we sat down already. Comparing the overall quality and experience, I would prefer the omakase from Yasu downtown given its similar price point. It was a good meal but I wouldn't come back for another omakase here, maybe for lunch. read more

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We came here to celebrate my husband's birthday. He got the course menu and I ordered some a la carte items with quite good coverage of the varieties of food here. The full meal turned out to be mediocre, not even one dish wowed us. With a price of $100 per person, I was expecting much more. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to you in general. read more

The benchmark for sushi in the GTA. Well worth the money, it will change your perception of sushi. I've gotten the omakase sushi every time we go and I always sit at the bar so I can watch the sushi chefs exercise their craft. It's a really beautiful thing to watch them create the perfect bite of sushi for you. At the bar they will make each nigiri one at a time and serve it to you so you don't need to worry about what order to eat them in. You should eat as soon as they put it down so it's fresh (My mouth is watering as I'm typing). All their ingredients are of the best quality and come from all over the world. Since you're at the bar and right in front of the sushi chef, ask him questions about what you're eating. They're very friendly! You can tell they love what they do as you watch them react to patrons reacting to the sushi they just tasted. Take your time enjoying each piece. Close your eyes and feel the textures and taste the complexity of each creation. My eyes actually watered while eating the last item because it was so good. Other than what I've said, let them surprise you with the layers of flavours they've mastered to give you the privilege to enjoy! Although this restaurant is quite high-end in food quality and service, you don't need to be wearing a tuxedo or a dress. Casual attire is fine. read more

Zen Japanese Restaurant - The head chef of Zen. - Japanese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Update Feb 2020 Omakase Sashimi and Sushi with 2 side orders of Soft-shell crab and miso black cod. Food and service are still good. I am not as impressed this time though. Last time, I felt like every course wowed me. This time, I could actually pick some fault in dishes. An example would be finding a bone in the black cod. I would still give my experience a 4.5 stars, which round up to be 5 stars still. ----- First Review: March 2019 We went for the Omakase Sashimi and Sushi. There were 6 courses altogether. Forgot to take a picture for first course (wagyu beef with tofu) and second last course (hand rolls), but you can find the rest in this post. In short, the food, decor, service remind me of my fond memory of visiting Japan. The fish, though not as fresh as in Japan, was fresh tasting. While I enjoyed both the sashimi and sushi, I have to say my favorite was their hand roll and soya ice-cream. The servers were attentive and came numerous time to add tea and take away our empty plates almost the second we finished with the food. It was a good experience! read more

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Hubs had made a reservation to celebrate our anniversary, and I must say that they really pay attention to the fine details to help you celebrate. They first offered us two glasses of plum wine on the house before our omakase got served. We didn't opt for the bar seats this time as we wanted some private space to have our conversation. We were served a daikon radish appetizer with a yuzu type broth and topped with a piece of lobster (which was chunky and juicy!). Talk about attention to detail, I noticed the radish was roughly etched into 4 so you can easily break it with your chopsticks. We also had a second appetizer with a cold chrysanthemum dish with grilled octopus, scallop and duck. The sushi and sashimi was good in a way that fish is fresh, but no fish was really that special where you can't get it elsewhere (honestly, I found the sushi better the first time I went to Zen - but that was also before I got spoiled by the quality of fish and sushi from my Japan trip). As with alot of places, they give you a miso soup (which I believe had dashi broth in the mix) and alot of kelp. Dessert was yummy! We had a piece of honeydew melon (which was super soft and sweet!!), soy bean ice cream, mochi and a green tea cookie. Because it was our anniversary, they also served two heart cookies stuffed with black sesame ice cream. You'll see in the picture I posted that they decorated the plate for it as well with a loop made from this type of string. Apparently it is often used for blessings/good luck? Total for two omakase meals came up to about $320? Which isn't too bad knowing that you get appetizers and desserts here with your sushi/sashimi where I know some other places only offer the sushi omakase with maybe an icecream to end the meal. My recommendation? If you want to boujee it out and have an amazing experience with the chef, the ambiance, different fish and appetizers, try out Shoushin (but it'll run you dry of $500 for two omakase meals). But if you want really good sushi only and no appetizers, you must try Yasu. read more

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I went to Zen after recommendation from a random Redditor. He recommended this nigiri only set (pretty sure that wasn't on the menu). Also normally you need to order this one in advance but the sushi chef was happy to oblige my last minute order. I've been to multiple omakase-style restaurants like this. This was probably the best meal I've ever had in my entire life! The whole experience lasted about 2 to 3 hours, but it never felt too long or too short, and was well-paced. Almost every item was perfectly executed, with a nice balance of flavors and textures. Some of my favorites were the aburi Toro, hotate, ankimo, and aji. I would come back to Toronto just to eat at Zen again!! I definitely recommend this place and sit at the sushi bar if you can. It's fun watching the chefs do their thing and interacting with them. read more

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I took my bf here for his bday and we were both delighted by the food and the experience. It's our second omakase experience and while Zen was great overall, it had its ups and downs. Ups included that they put a lot of effort into the appetizers and the desserts- more so than the other omakase restaurant we went to. You got a sampler of items for both so that was nice, and it accompanied the sushi omakase really well. Obviously, the sushi was delicious and they asked if we wanted wasabi in our sushi, which was a nice thought for them to ask. The chefs were very friendly and I felt comfortable conversing with them. The fish was very fresh and I would say it's good value for the money that you're paying. If I could afford to eat here more often, I would. Some of the downs included the flavours of the dessert, which I found underwhelming. I didn't really like the individual components. I've definitely had better dessert elsewhere. Not much else to complain about, really! read more

First omakase experience, but definitely a great variety of fresh fish flown in from BC and Japan. Service: Waitresses and chef ran the experience like clockwork, preparing each nigiri one after another. I had ordered omakase sushi course, and ordered the omakase for my parents. The miso soup came halfway into the meal, which was an interesting surprise. Enjoyed the small talk with the chef, who explained each piece of nigiri and the garnishes. Food: If you order the omakase, definitely sit at the bar for the full experience. The chef will prepare the nigiri piece by piece in front of your eyes, and hand each piece onto your plate. He also already places the wasabi and soy sauce for each piece before handing it to you, you can ask for an adjustment if you prefer more or less. The variety of fish is decent for the price of the meal, although I had hoped there would be more pieces of tuna (the different parts). I enjoyed some pieces (eel, scallop, tuna) more than others (ebi/shrimp), as I wasn't used to the texture but that's more of a personal preference. The fish was very fresh, with no "fishy" odor. You can tell the chef's attention to detail from the way he zested the ponzu to how he molds the rice for each nigiri in his hands. The wagyu as part of the appetizer was a bit tough (maybe because of the thicker cut), but the octopus was very nice. Overall: Fantastic omakase experience for me and my family, great for special occasions. Make a reservation at the bar for the whole nine yards! read more

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This has now been my 4th or 5th omakase experience and my overall verdict is that it's just alright. I'm giving it a 3 star as an average of my 2/5 rating for value and 4/5 rating for quality of food. Having experienced both the $85 omakase sushi as well as the $115 omakase sashimi course for 1, I definitely have a few cents to share with you. First of all, if you didn't already know, the difference between the two is that the cheaper option consists solely of chef's choice sushi while the more expensive option is like a combo that gives you a handful of appetizers and a dessert as well. The "sushi-only" omakase was personally my preferred choice because it got down to the real reason why I was there - to have delicious high quality sushi. The fish variety was fresh and I was delighted by the overall portion sizes. Normally when I have 15-20 piece omakases, I'm not that full at the end but somehow, this 14 piece omakase was plenty filling. However, the "full-course" omakase had its own merit as well and I'd actually recommend this one IF you fancy taking pictures of food or have an adventurous palate - that is, of course, if you have the means to dish out a few extra dolla bills on a more well-rounded meal. The 6 additional appetizers are interesting to say the least and really sensitizes your tastebuds. Some more savoury, some more sour, it's a nice blend of flavours and because they come in sampler portions, it makes you feel like you're a dainty princess/prince. For dessert, you also get 3 different dishes and although the ice cream was the only noteworthy one, it was absolutely delicious. Unique to Zen, the two varieties of homemade ice cream - soy milk and hojicha were very tasty and I'd highly recommend you try it if you're an ice cream fanatic. In fact, we had ordered extras of them at the end of our meal despite their hefty $8/scoop price tag. I mean, was it worth the value? Not at all. But was it worth the experience? Definitely for a one-time thing. read more

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It has been awhile since I have been here but had a great experience with their omakase dinner sitting at the chef's table. We started our dinner with the tempura and softshell crab appetizer and we both ordered the omakase dinner. Everything was delicious and service was impeccable. They served very regular types of fish but they were so fresh, sushi rice was perfect, and a lot of the sushi was served with their delicious homemade soy sauce. For $85 for their sushi omakase, I would highly recommend. Here is what we got: Yellowtail/Hamachi Flute Trout Scallop Tuna Tuna belly/Otoro Horsemakarel King crab Amberjack Seabream Argentina shrimp Sea urchin/uni Tuna belly handroll read more

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Took the wife here for her birthday since she loves Jap food. Heard about this place but never had the opportunity. It's located close to Take One in a small plaza with miNimal signage so it can be difficult to find. The service was great and it was easy to get a reservation for a Tuesday night. When we arrived the place was pretty busy and that took me by surprise. The menu had already been laid out for the kaiseiki omakase and the waitress was super attentive and nice. Her English was average and probably the reason why I didn't ask too many questions. The food was great and had decent variety and cooking techNiques to try from, however I was a bit disappointed with the limited variation of fish for the sushi. We were definitely full from the meal though so that wasn't an issue. Another disappointing point, was that we couldn't sit at the chef bar for this menu (maybe due to the equipment for the lobster hotpot) and that was a bit of a bummer since we usually like to observe how the chefs prepare the sushi. All in all not a bad experience but still doesn't top our experience at Kaji! read more

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I've been to zen years ago and my impression of it has always been a high end Japanese restaurant for quality and authentic sushi! Thankfully that hasn't changed. Recently went to get a few handrolls and my Godddd are they expensive. I think I paid $35 for 4 handrolls. Hands down I would pay that money for it again. They were soooo good! They are individually wrapped with the plastic in between the seaweed so seaweed stays crispy and fresh up until the moment you consume it. I do think they use a better quality seaweeed too because it was a lot crispier than I'm used to! The handrolls are seasoned so well that I don't even think I needed soy sauce with it! I believe they already have soy sauce mixed into the rice which is the style of a lot of omakases, they pre incorporate the perfect amount of soy sauce and wasabi for you so no additional dipping is required. read more

Zen Japanese Restaurant - Handrolls - Japanese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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4.5/5 Amazing service and fantastic Japanese food and presentation, there are different courses to choose from omakase and will definitely not disappoint. The taste brings back my memory of Japan. Very comfortable seating and clean decor to boot. Yes its pricey but with all things considered its worth to splurge every so often and this is the place to do it. Highly recommend. read more

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Came here during lunch with my friend. Had to make a reservation. The restaurant became full real quick. I think they have a different menu for lunch where we ordered about 4 items and costed around $80. This is where you should go if you are craving for some high quality sashimi without having to go all the way to downtown Toronto. We were going to order more but the server thought these are enough for us and we should order more when we finish (which turns out to be true hahah thank you!). Overall great experience. Will come back next time! read more

Zen Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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This was a great place to celebrate my wife's birthday. The staff was really friendly. We ordered the sushi kaiseki (tasting menu). To start we had a light soup which was delicious and full of flavour. It had a seared scallop and Chinese mushroom. Throughout the meal we had fresh sashimi, very refreshing , steamed egg in truffle oil, a nice piece of wagyu steak (wife felt to fatty, mine was delicious and was so tasty), Hand rolls, and a very good lobster tempura. The batter was very well done and presentation was amazing Dessert was good, with everything made in house. My wife really liked the home made soy milk ice cream. read more

Zen Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

People like to compare Zen and Shoushin, as these are the two main places for high end sushi on the north side of Toronto (Zen just south of 14th and Woodbine, Shoushin just south of Lawrence and Yonge). Zen is in a very odd place - a small strip plaza next to a Mandarin (funny cause Mandarin is an absolutely horrible place for food) and beside Akiba Kissa. Though the plaza is tiny and easy to pass by, the restaurant is very easy to see from the road if you're looking - the big wooden slats and big "Zen" sign was easily visible when I drove by this morning. Always sit at the sushi bar for the best experience. Always always. Today our sushi chef was Cho-san and he was great. He spoke Mandarin and English which was interesting to me - it does make Zen more accessible I suppose to the many mainlanders in Markham. Even so, he definitely knew his stuff when we asked him many questions as I'm fairly new to omakase and high-end sushi. I may not be as well-versed as others here, but I think everything he made was delicious and made with care and detail... on par with Shoushin I think. Which makes sense given that Jackie Lin at Shoushin was trained here at Zen. We had the omakase sushi for $80 which includes 13 pieces of sushi and a handroll. In my opinion... more palatable than the $130 that Shoushin has for their their most basic omakase option. It used to be $85 but it has jumped in price, though it does include a couple extra appetizers and dessert (not worth the +$50 for me though). In order we had: Hamachi (Yellowtail), Hirame (Fluke), Ocean trout, Scallop, Kanpachi (Amberjack) which was my personal favorite of the night, Tai (sea bream), Ebi (sweet shrimp), Uni (sea urchin), maguro (lean tuna), chutoro (middle ground), otoro (fatty tuna), aji (horse mackerel), unagi (eel), and a tuna belly handroll with onions. Each piece of sushi has wasabi though you can ask for it without. I saw a review that said there was too much wasabi but I didn't experience this - if anything, I thought it was a perfect balance and my wasabi tolerance is very low. Certain pieces were garnished with a yuzu zest that brought out the sweetness of the fish, or sea salt, or lime juice. It was all delicious and watching the chefs make it was a great experience. The unagi was an experience - the best I've had, soft and flavorful. The otoro was oddly not very fatty, which I kind of like actually - over time I've come not to like incredibly buttery rich foods like foie gras, lindor chocolates, and otoro falls in that category so it was okay for me. But it was not as fatty as other places if that's what you're looking for. The tuna belly handroll was also delicious and the seaweed they use for their uni and the handroll was so crisp and fresh and delicious. For dessert we had a matcha ice cream ($8) and shiratama sundae (?)($11.50) The matcha ice cream was my favorite - so fragrant and so refreshing. The shiratama sundae came with a soy milk ice cream which was quite unique and red bean paste and soft, pillowy shiratama. Also delicious. Though this costs extra, these desserts were better than Shoushin's. If I had to I would pick Zen over Shoushin for the atmosphere that they've created. Not that Shoushin isn't good - it's great, but I found Zen to be more my style. At Shoushin the atmosphere is more serious and very quiet and the decor is beautiful - the ambiance is actually more zen-like than Zen. The service there is great but in a different way - very formal, almost stiff but not unfriendly. Great service, but I'm not used to people pulling out chairs for me. Zen was very different. Service was also great but in a different way - more hands off and it felt more natural to me. Even the smiles that they gave me felt more natural. It's certainly louder than Shoushin, but that's because they encourage talking and they are definitely more interactive I found with the customers than at Shoushin. Perhaps you can say at Shoushin the focus is on the food. Even though Cho-san was our sushi chef, Chef Seiichi was also very friendly and took the time to talk to us even though he wasn't serving us and even when he was serving another group as well (who he also talked to). They fielded my questions about different fishes, pulling out trays of fish to show me what they looked like and describing where they came from and showing us which part of the fish the sushi came from on a smartphone. I think they were excited that I was excited to learn. I felt much more relaxed at Zen, oddly enough, than at Shoushin where I felt like I couldn't even cough or sneeze and felt like I was always being watched by a waiter/waitress who was always present. I left really happy with the experience and even as we left, Chef Seiichi thanked us for coming and the group he was with even turned and smiled at us when we thanked the chef for a delicious dinner. This is the kind of atmosphere they've built at Zen and because of that, Zen is my pick over Shoushin. read more

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Came here for a birthday celebration and what an experience! At $120 a person you get apps, 13 pieces and dessert. Because we came for a birthday we got a special surprise dessert. The chef really takes the time to tell you about each piece of sushi that your having Food and service was fantastic! Definitely worth the money in my option. And you have to sit at the chefs table to really experience the meal The fish was super fresh and every bite just melts in your mouth. Will definitely go back and recommend to others read more

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Hard to believe it took this long for me to eat at this restaurant, but it definitely didn't disappoint. The original plan for the Friday evening was not to eat here, but plans changed. My friend and I managed to take someone else's reservation at the sushi bar because they cancelled last minute. If you want to eat at the sushi bar for the omakase experience, I'd recommend making a reservation because there is limited seating as well as leaving your schedule pretty free. This dining experience can easily be more than 2 hours, so make sure you have enough time to enjoy the food. My friend and I had originally decided on ordering the omakase sashimi dinner, however both the head chef and the waitress strongly recommended us to order the omakase sushi dinner instead. I had given in and switched my order to the sushi while my friend stayed with the sashimi and boy was I glad I listened. For the price difference of only $10, the sushi omakase was definitely more worth it as each piece of sushi was made and placed on my plate one after the other with care. You're given more variety versus just sashimi. Don't get me wrong the sashimi omakase was just as good, but the dining experience was definitely less exciting. The sashimi was placed on one plate and presented to you all at once, while the chef controlled the pace of when each piece of my sushi was served as I finished the previous one. Both my friend and I had started and finished with the same appetizers and desserts, but the only difference was the main course. I have taken photos of "most" of what I had that evening with the exception of a few missing pieces of sushi that I had forgotten to take a photo of because I got too excited and ate it right away. (E.g. Uni sushi and maybe something else too). From this dining experience, I could tell that the head chef really cared about the service each customer was provided and always made sure each individual was well taken care of. For the price that I had paid, I definitely felt that everything was fairly priced from the quality of ingredients used in each dish and the hospitality received. I will definitely be back. read more

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Business trip to Toronto, due to COVID, no dine-in, we bought bentos from Zen back to hotel for dinner. The reception was nice and friendly. When we reached the restaurant, the foods were ready and packed. The Japanese chefs are so enthusiasm and explained to us the food were just made (my colleague is Japanese, they speak in Japanese). We travel from Markham back to Vaughan by toll hwy, the food were still warm. We ordered black cod bento, grilled fish bento and ox tongue. All of them are so delicious. I'm looking forward to visit again for the dine in "Omakase". read more

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Good location in markham! Clean, Japanese modern decor. Steep prices for their set menus. Have hAd better omakase at lower price point. However if you are willing to spend a little more this is a great option for good quality Japanese food! read more

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An authentic Japanese place perfect for omakase. Tempura and simmered food are also yummy. read more

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Execellent services, very welcoming. Clean and neat decorations made me feel like i went to Japan. Food is beyond expectation, fresh, delicate, fine tasted, a visual pleasure as well. read more

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Damn this place was so good!! Fishies were really fresh today. Superb service, kept refilling my green tea. Super quiet, zen-like feel. Ordered: Omakase Sushi- first came with 6 nigiri and then followed by more, then a hand roll. Everything literally melted in the mouth. Nigiri Sushi set- came with less sushi than the omakase. Still bomb but less variety. Blue fin tuna rice bowl + Udon bowl- udon came first as a little side dish- bowl was super hot; tuna was really fresh, lots of rice beneath, tasted fresh Eel rice- bbq grilled and not too much sauce on rice read more

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Sit at the bar, order the omakase sushi ($80) and eat with your hand - it's not the same otherwise. The fish is very fresh and the chefs are very well trained in the knife skills. When you get the omakase sushi, there are 13 pieces of premium sushi plus a chopped otoro hand roll. In order: hamachi, flute, salmon, scallop, amberjack, snapper, sweet shrimp, uni, 3 cuts of bluefin, horse mackerel, unagi. The 13 pieces are generally pretty standard and more "common", which is better for beginners to the omakase scene. The couple beside us were regulars and they got fish that I've never seen before, which is super cool. The otoro handroll was amazing- they don't just take the leftover cuts of tuna and chop it up into a roll, they actually use their sharp knives to chop good pieces and use a special seaweed from Kyushu which tastes super fresh. UNFORTUNATELY I was already super full by that piece so I couldn't enjoy it as much - I would have to say that they could ease up on the rice for the sushi! Also, they are super busy so despite their restaurant being called "Zen", it was anything but; they make sure you get out quick once you're done to let more tables in. It's a good way to get your sushi fix but if you're looking for amazing ambiance where you can enjoy each course, go to Shoushin. read more

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I'm not a new customer to Zen. I have been to their dinner and lunch before. The quality of fish and sushi here has always been superb. However, my recent dinner experience at Zen has been disappointing. I ordered the omakase sushi dinner for one, which includes a Wagyu beef with eggplant, an assortment of appetizers ( steamed egg, walnut salad, a small pieces of fish, octopus and duck), noodles in bonito soup, 13 pieces of sushi, and dessert. The wagyu beef was nice and eggplant were cooked quite well. However this dish was a bit salty for my taste. The assortment of appetizers were ok. It wasn't bad but also nothing too outstanding. The noodles in soup was a bit salty again. However the noodles were cooked well and there was a hint of yazu zest on top which was a surprise. The sushi was disappointing. The fish wasn't as fresh as I've had it before. The salmon lacks their sweet fatty fish flavor. Fatty toro wasn't fatty at all. And WAY too much wasabi. The wasabi completely covered the subtle freshness of the fish taste. Horrible. Just horrible. The better sushi was the scallops and the eel. The complete disaster sushi was the shrimp and mackerel. Did I mention too much wasabi?!?! How can they mess up such fundamental skill? Dessert was Home made. Soy milk ice cream was excellent. Perfect pairing with the matcha cookie. Shiso sherbet was minty and refreshing. This is a big bowl of sherbet. ($8) Share with a friend. Service is outstanding. Cup is never less than half empty. In conclusion, unlikely to return for dinner. This meal cost over $100. I feel at that price point, there are other options. Lunch, on the contrary, is still not a bad option when you crave fresh fish a cut above the regular sushi joint. read more

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Ordered take-out Omakase and donburi to match my newly purchased Dassai 23. The food was well packed and presented. Moreover, the materials are really fresh. read more

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Had sushi omakase by the sushi counter and was very disappointed. At this price point, neither me or my partner's rice should be falling apart upon picking up the nigiri with our fingers. This just doesn't happen in other places e.g. Jabistro, Kaji, or Yasu just to name a few. The seasoning was not as well balanced either e.g. sometimes the wasabi or the soy sauce was too overpowering. I feel our bad experience may be due to having a more junior staff serving our pieces. If you do go, make sure you choose to be seated right in front of the head chef (he was standing on the far left side today). read more

+.5 for service Alright, I've eaten at Zen before, back when it was in a very ghetto strip in Scarborough. I was very happy Zen moved north to Markham, as I believe that's where their market holds (higher income city, lots of Asians, etc). I tried the new Zen for the first time on my mom's birthday, and was able to reserve the last seat a couple of Saturdays prior. That's how busy it is; you have to reserve very early beforehand. The decorations look a lot nicer than the Scarborough location; it actually looks like an upscale Japanese place, instead of it being purely white walls. Definitely a job well done with their new location, which by the way...is quite easy to miss as it doesn't stand out very much. My family of four ended up ordering two kaisekis, an omakase sushi course, and an omakase sashimi course, which meant we get the full Zen experience (as I would put it). It's obviously something I wouldn't do again, but since it was my mom's birthday...why not! We started with the tamago tofu, which had a very unique and delicious sauce that make the egg . The dish was cold, but not bone chilling. Just the way I like it. Next dish was the zensai, which had the mini octopus, duck breast, jello, veggie and mushroom soup (or sauce), and some shrimp bits salad thingy. Excellent once again on all counts. Sashimi Moriawase was the next dish. Full points to the mid-toro and the amberjack, definitely some of the best I've ever had. I've never really been a sea urchin person, but my parents who had it also said it was delicious and not fishy. Next was the nyumen with scallop, which personally I could've done without. The noodles weren't anything special, nor were the salad or the broth. At this point the meals had separate dishes, but I'll cover our whole platter regardless. The gindara yuan yaki had an excellent butter taste, and the cod was neatly layered instead of it being scrunchy. The plum-like fruit wasn't my cup of tea, but my parents seemed to like it. Wagyu Shabu Shabu was arguably the highlight of the tasting menu. The beef was, without question, the best I've ever eaten. Perfectly marbled, very smooth, and it just melts in your mouth. That's what true wagyu beef is supposed to be like, no question about it. Omakase sushi was next, and it came with 14 different varieties of fish for the kaiseki menu or 7 varieties for the omakase sushi menu. Excellent all the way, although the rice was difficult to grasp properly as it wasn't packed tightly enough. I loved the squid and all the toros in particular. But wait, there's more! Toro handroll came as we were eating the sushi, and I'm gonna quote from my mom who hates handrolls: "This is the only handroll I will ever eat in my life. It's that good. I can't believe I'm enjoying it, but I am". As for the assorted sashimi (omakase sashimi menu), that dish also had its unique varieties, mixed with some common fishes such as octopus, sweet shrimp, and yellow tail. Great all around, though by this time we were already all full. Finally, dessert...black sesame ice cream, mochi, macaroons, and matcha ice cream. Yum, yum, yum, and yum. Service was excellent; the servers will explain every single dish and the ingredients used. They will also be accommodating of any allergies or questions you may have. I definitely won't have the kaiseki or any of the tasting menus next time, but my next visit will definitely focus more towards the a la carte options. It may be expensive, but this is what you expect from top end/high quality sushi! read more

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My fantastic boyfriend took me here for a surprise birthday dinner and this was by far the most well rounded dining experience I've had in quite some time. Take someone special here and you will not regret it! (See photos of food details!) My boyfriend chose a pre-fix type menu which comes with an assortment of appetizers. The flavours were all amazing and such unique, complex layers. It's so well thought out that every bite has been pre-planned and arranged for you. The waitress takes her time to explain what each plate is and how to best enjoy the experience before leaving you to go to gastric heaven. They started us off with a shrimp appetizer over a broth gelatin and a shrimp head chip to finish that bite. Like everything we had that night, I was blown away by just how much flavour was infused to each and every bite. "BLAND" is NOT in their dictionary. Next we moved onto an array of fish and octopus with a wonderful side broth and delightful seaweed salad. The textures were so different across the board and yet, it was complimentary. And to end off the apps, we got a Miso Soup and some cold noodles in flavourful broth. I'm not usually a fan of cold noodles, but this one was very pleasant. Nothing over whelming, but just enough acidity and savory broth to make it enjoyable. Moving on, we had our sushi. The chef took his time to explain each fish he was presenting to us and I've got them all photographed (though more justice could have been done haha) below. The fish is fresh, stored well, treated with respect, and paired with whatever sauce or toppings the chef believes will enhance the natural flavours of the fish in the best light. Sometimes it was a dab of wasabi, a brush of flavoured soy sauce, sprinkle of sea salt, or brushed with the zest of a fresh lime. The chef was so friendly the whole time and they make you feel very comfortable there with the other guests sitting next to you. I don't believe I'll ever enjoy sushi the same way again. haha! Lastly, we had our dessert. They had a candle in my dessert for my birthday and I thought it was just so perfect and sweet that the macaron on the plate was shaped as a heart :) Delicious from start to finish! I cannot rave enough about that tofu ice cream though. If you've ever had the tofu pudding dessert at a Chinese sweet shop, it tastes JUST LIKE THAT. creamy and milky and perfect. I could honestly get a whole tub of those and just watch some TV and devour it all. Absolutely perfect from the moment you walk in to the food and to the moment you are finishing your meal. Be sure to book a bar seat so you can watch the chefs create the sushi! The staff are just incredible here and, like I said, just the most well rounded place. Comes with a hefty price so maybe not a weekly thing haha but it's definitely worth the experience. Thank you to my amazing boyfriend for this one of a kind dinner. I've lived in Markham forever and never even knew this place existed! So all you Yelper's out there, make sure you tell your significant other about Yelp. That way, they can plan a dinner you know you'll enjoy ;) read more

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Zen is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Toronto. It serves authentic Japanese food. The service is friendly and attentive. For a truly unique experience, try getting a sit at the sushi bar and order the omakase. You get to interact with the sushi chefs as they prepare your sushi one by one. The $80 omakase will get you 13 pieces of premium sushi and a chopped otoro hand roll. The ingredients were fresh and the sushi were expertly prepared. In addition to the 13 pieces of sushi, I ordered two additional pieces that were "off the menu" - made with fishes that I have never heard of. I also ordered a small udon and a chirashi bowl to finish. The food was exceptional. While Zen is located in a strip mall in Markham, the interior is modern. I enjoyed sitting at the sushi bar and watching the chefs at work. The prices are a bit high, but the ingredients are fresh. I would highly recommend Zen. read more

Shame on you negative reviewers! Someone before me wrote that Zen is a benchmark for sushi in Toronto. They couldn't have been more right. We were served by an outstanding waitress. The owner and master himself made our sushi. He had a kind smile and a skillful hand. As the night progressed - and sparkling sake was consumed in quantity - his sense of humour shone through - he seemed to like our jokes too! From the moment we entered the door the experience was 5 star. The table wasn't ready until 810 (8pm reso) but a waitress brought us some complimentary plum wine to pass the time. We ordered the sushi omakase and two bottles of sake. They were the best we've ever drank! Both cold, one sparkling - the drink menu was explained in detail and both bottles were recommended by our knowledgable and enthusiastic waitress. The 3 appetizers were ingenious. Three perfectly crafted dishes that surprised and impressed. The ~10 pieces of sushi were lovingly prepared and delivered at the perfect pace. Make sure you reserve a seat at the bar. Take in the skill of these guys and girls. Masters in every sense of the word. Salmon, tuna, sea bream, shrimp, scallop, yellowtail, firefly squid, fatty tuna hand roll, salmon roe, uni... The Chef asked if he could put the right amount of wasabi in each piece. We said sure! He added some soy. Some citrus rind. Great pickled ginger in between courses. This was worth every penny spent. Two sushi omakase (3 apps, ~10 pieces, hand roll, and a really great dessert + the complimentary plum wine) left us filled to the perfect level. Actually perfect. The pacing really made it great. Over 2 hours of eating, drinking and admiring the mastery in front of us! With tax, tip and 2 bottles of great sake - the bill was easily the most we've ever spent on a meal for two, but it was money well spent. The evening was truly memorable and we will be back - after our wallets recover! Don't listen to the others - just book a spot at the counter and enjoy. Make sure you bring someone special who appreciates Japanese cuisine, sake and has a good sense of humour! read more

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Solid 4.5 Stars Likes: - Service was attentive and the overall meal was well-paced. - The flavour and texture of the sushi rice was spot on. - The sushi were all perfectly pre-seasoned, with a nice balance between savoury, sweet and zesty. - Desserts were amazing. I am still dreaming about their soy milk and hojicha ice creams. Not a fan of: - The o-toro did not have the buttery melt-in-your mouth texture I was searching for, it was slightly chewy and was my least favourite piece for the evening. My husband and I came here on a Tuesday evening at around 7:30pm and the restaurant was quite busy. We sat at the sushi bar for the full omakase experience. We ordered the Omakase Sushi ($100) and Oma-Sushi Course ($130). We found the Oma-Sushi Course to be very good value, given how attention was paid to each and every component of the meal. The first course was thin somen with a slice of shitake mushroom and abalone served in a cold broth. The noodles were perfectly cooked. It had a crisp yet tender texture and the abalone was soft with a delicate flavour. The second appetizer included a small cup of mozuku, a type of edible seaweed, dressed in a vinegar seasoning with dried shrimp. This was extremely refreshing. We were also served bite size pieces of fried fish, grilled cod, duck breast and a piece of sweet cake. Every item served was well executed and delicious, but my favourite was definitely the duck breast. It was a juicy and luxurious mouthful. We were served a different variation of miso soup with the Oma-Sushi Course. The soup contained snapper, which added a lot more sweetness and complexity compared to the regular miso soup. Now onto the sushi, we were served the following: Fluke, Hamachi, Scallop, Ocean Trout, Seabream, Amberjack, Uni, Ikura, Tuna, O-toro, Argentinean Shrimp, Sea Eel and Tuna Belly Handroll. The fish served were all very fresh, but of these, my favourites were the scallop, amberjack, uni and the tuna belly handroll. The tuna belly handroll was to die for, the seaweed was toasted, so it remained crunchy until the last bite. The tuna belly was fatty, but balanced with a nice kick from the thinly sliced scallions. The Argentinean shrimp came as a surprise since it was cooked, but I enjoyed the mild sweetness and delicate texture. The meal ended on a very high note. The Oma-Sushi Course came with a dessert platter. The soy milk ice cream with a side of brown sugar was a killer combination, I would re-visit the restaurant just for this. The hojicha ice cream was also a pleasant surprise, as the tea flavour really stood out. The platter also came with a slice of cantaloupe melon and a small cube of matcha mousse. Since we both have a sweet tooth, we ended up ordering an additional dessert - soy milk ice cream with red bean, mochi balls and brown sugar ($11.50). Overall, this was a very solid meal. For an omakase experience, the price point is very reasonable and well worth it for what you get. I have had better quality fish at other restaurants, but Zen definitely provides a more well-rounded experience. I truly appreciate their art in preparing the perfect sushi rice! read more

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Zen is an old time favourite. I've been dining with them since they were in Scarborough. This is still the place to go for premium sushi and sashimi. The decor at this new location is modern, high end. The menu is no fuss traditional sushi. You come here for fresh tasting sushi. You won't find the gimmicky mayo laced Maki rolls here. Be warned, prices here are at a premium to match the quality. (Example, $80 for 13 pieces of sushi. ) Tonight I was pleasantly surprised when i tried the Japanese mackerel topped with onions ginger. Wow! What a pop of flavour. Clean, fresh taste. Didn't expect that from mackerel. Tip one: sit at the bar and order sushi to get full bar experience as they present you with each piece one at a time. Tip two: order the Mandarin Orange pie! Refreshing, light. I gave this review 4 stars because i was very disappointed with their rice in the sushi. It fell apart upon picking up. Boo. That's a big no in my books. Especially for a Japanese restaurant of this stature. read more

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NOM! If you haven't dined here yet, you are truly missing out. Beats some of the best sushi joints in the downtown core and worth the trip to Markham. Don't let the dodgy location fool you, this place is legit on the inside. I highly recommend reserving seats at the bar and getting the chef special over the omakase because it is strictly sushi pieces and the chef gets pretty creative - think seared toro on uni on toro or scallop thats tastes like butter. Salivating yet? Get the handroll... this isn't your typically ayce handroll - smaller, less rice but packed with flavour. Even the tamago (egg sushi) is a mind-blower. If you're celebrating a birthday or any other special occasion they provide a great presentation of their desserts. Expensive but every bite is worth every dollar. read more

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Although I appreciate the fact that they offer dine-in during Covid-19 but the menu is SUPER limited. I was hoping they would serve the full menu prior to going in but only to find that they pretty much just have the omakase and high-end items available to order. There are way more options on their take-out menu which were sadly not served at the restaurant. We have in mind their HIDA GYU SUKI-NABE  (Sliced A5, Hida Japanese Beef cooked in hot pot) prior to going so we called to inquire and the waitress assured us that it is shareable between 2 people. We ordered and was shocked to see how small the portion of this pot is! This photo might not depict the actual size because I took a close up picture of it but there's literally just ONE piece of beef with ONE tofu and very minimal bamboo shoots in the pot and this costs $76!! You can imagine how "shareable" this is after the beef and tofu is cut into half! I thought there would at least be 2 full slices of beef for the price with more veggies underneath. A very, very disappointing experience. Definitely not worth the price for this portion! read more

Zen Japanese Restaurant - This photo features their HIDA GYU SUKI-NABE (Sliced A5, Hida Japanese Beef cooked in hot pot). - Japanese Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Having been to most hot-topic Omakase restaurants in Toronto, I honestly expected Zen's uptown location to fall slightly short of the more glamorous places in the Downtown core. However, I was proved wrong with the Omakase Sushi Course. Not only does Zen have more courses than similar restaurants, the freshness of the sushi and creativity of the non-sushi courses were top notch. An integral part of a quality Omakase experience is the small talk that the sushi chefs offer. At Zen the head chef as well as most of the waitresses spoke Japanese with my parents and took the extra time to explain every item that came out. Zen was amazing and I highly recommend coming here! read more

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4.5 Located in an inconspicuous plaza that can be easily overlooked is one of the most expensive Japanese establishments around. Came here for my birthday to try the Sushi Kaiseki ($135 per person) which consists of 8 courses and I was not disappointed. Tamago Tofu (Egg Tofu with Lobster) - A cold dish to kick off the meal and cleanse the palate. The tofu was soft and creamy giving an interesting contrast to the texture of the bamboo shoot. The lobster tempura was meaty and worked really well with the sauce. Great start. Zensai (Assorted Appetizers) - Lots of variety with this one. I cant remember the specifics of each item but I enjoyed every one. The mini octopus with sesame paste, the jello with shrimp, enoki mushrooms, squid etc. inside and the rare duck breast were a wonderful, welcomed challenge to my taste buds. The veggies and mushroom were solid as well. Hotate & Nyumen - This was the least memorable dish both in presentation and delicacy. The broth was absolutely delicious but the noodles were just regular well-made thin noodles and the scallop tempura was no longer crispy by the time it was served (is this normal?). A little underwhelming. Sashimi Moriawase (Chef's Special Choice Sashimi) - Sashimi is phenomenal. The fish is SO fresh, it's insane. I couldn't get over how pure it tasted. I have to admit the quality surpasses that of Yasu. My favorite was the amberjack and I was glad that the uni didn't have an ocean smell to it. This was bomb. Gindara Yuan Yaki (Grilled Black Cod, marinated with Yuzu & Sake) - I'm drooling thinking about the cod. Absolute perfection. It came with a myrica rubra/yamimomo fruit that complemented the rest of the dish so well, it blew my mind. The fruit was sweet and such a delight. This can be ordered a la carte and I would highly recommend it! Wagyu Shabu Shabu (A4 Wagyu) - I was looking forward to this the most. The beef was so tender, dissolving in my mouth (as it should). The wagyu may not have been top of the line but the quality and marbling was superb nonetheless. I savored every moment of it! It is served with some veggies but they were so thinly sliced that when you dip it into the broth, it shrivels up to become more miniscule and hard to taste. I didn't really care and was too occupied with the beef anyway! Omakase Sushi (Chef's Special Choice Sushi) - I had to take a half star off because I felt the nigiri was a little disappointing. The fish was amazing but the sushi rice kept breaking which is something that shouldn't be happening for a place of this calibre. It's unacceptable, really. There were also a few pieces where the wasabi was way too strong. This overpowered the taste of the fish and really took away my enjoyment of eating it. Toro Handroll - Best handroll ever although it didn't look too appetizing. The seaweed was so crispy and we were told to eat it as soon as possible to get the full taste. Outstanding. I came to realize handrolls in a cylindrical shape taste better than the typical cone-shaped ones (the prettier version) because the fish to rice ratio is more even this way. I was able to taste the fish in every bite. Homemade Dessert - Black seasame icecream with a traditional Japanese biscuit, strawberry red bean mochi and a macaron-like dessert with red bean and green tea ice cream filling, served with brown sugar on the side. I loved every single one. The matcha icecream was an emerald green and strong in flavor just how I like it. Yum. I was stuffed by the end of the meal. Service was pleasant. Their English isn't the greatest so I had to really listen to their explanations of each dish. Very attentive and friendly overall. I personally wouldn't do omakase here (I prefer Yasu for the intimate experience and the reasonable pricing in comparison) but a la carte or the kaiseki is worth a try. Zen was excellent and one of the most memorable meals I've ever had! Come here for a special occasion and you won't regret. read more

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