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    Bistro Sakana

    3.6 (149 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

    Bistro Sakana Photos

    Business Info

    BISTRO SAKANA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Bistro Sakana

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    Chirashi don
    Kristie W.

    Decent food (sashimi, aburi), but not extraordinary enough to justify the higher price tag. Chirashi Don was good, but the octopus was undertenderized. The other pieces of sashimi were solid. The salmon aburi was fine, but not as flavourful or well-seared as at some of the finer aburi restaurants. The squid was melt in your mouth tender and delicious though. The beef aburi was so juicy, especially with the sweet glaze on top.

    I've had many amazing dinners here at Bistro Sakana, and it never disappoints! I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, and whenever I am in Vancouver visiting family, this is a must have. Yama San was very accommodating and prepared lots of great sushi and other dishes. Everything was not only delicious, but beautiful to look at. I'm already looking forward to my next visit here!

    The Daily Specials at Bistro Sakana
    Daisy Y.

    Came here as a part of the Taste of Yaletown promo and was blown away. I don't know why this place doesn't have more 5 star reviews. The food was awesome - good portion sizes, and nice presentation. Can't remember which aburi sushi it was, but it was so soft and buttery that it just melted in our mouths. We also ordered a side of sashimi (I'm such a sucker for anything flown in from Japan) and got what the chef recommended. Good news, the chef did not lead us astray - the sashimi was very smooth and tender. Went very well with the accompanying ponzu sauce. And the Iberico pork? Tender and fatty. Two thumbs up for the awesome dessert - green tea mousse cake, but my friend loved the vanilla ice cream mochi better. The service was awesome, food came out at a good pace. I would definitely come back. They have a huge menu (...and a huge drink menu!) and daily specials including a pretty large selection that is "flown in fresh from Japan". (omg, be still, my tastebuds!) Nice cozy space with plenty of seating. Free wifi available.

    Hassun box
    Carmen H.

    DINE OUT 2021 Coming here felt like I took a trip back to Japan. The vibes were right, and the delicacy of the food really brought out the Japanese culture. The portions were decent, definitely on the smaller side, but the quality was definitely there. APPETIZER: seafood cocktail, smoked hamachi aburi, and salmon toro yuke. The seafood cocktail was probably our favourite. It was served in a shot glass with prawn, salmon, and scallop in a CREAMY tofu sauce. The sauce was so creamy, we didn't think it was tofu. ENTREE (1): a yaki hassun box that came with chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard), angus beef skewer, scallop and crab creamy gratin, and a crispy almond prawn. We loved the chawanmushi, it was smooth and delicate, with a savoury dashi taste. ENTREE (2): Mini chirashi don and 4 pieces of aburi. We found the aburi rice a little too hard; however, it still melted in my mouth. most importantly, it was nice and warm. DESSERT: This varies by day, but I got to try a four layer strawberry/lychee mousse. this was not heavy at all, which we really liked!! Covid Protocols: It's a very small restaurant, half of their seating is out on the patio with outdoor heaters. Tables were spread 2m apart with plexiglass dividers, and all the employees were wearing masks. ---------- PRICE 。$54.00 per person (dinner)

    Lunch set A
    Carolyn L.

    Decided to try this place instead of Minami. It is a world of difference - ambience, pricing, service, food. Service was so-so. I seated myself. Waited a while for the bill despite the sushi chef informing the wait staff a couple of times. The sushi chef paid more attention to the customers than the 3 wait staff on duty. The place was not even packed. I had the lunch box as it seemed to be what most were having. The sashimi was fresh but thinly sliced. Tempura was crispy without being oily. The rice was tasteless and hard (seemed overcooked). Somehow the meal was forgettable. You could have this combo anywhere in Vancouver. Probably not a place I will go to anytime soon when there are still so many restaurants for me to try in yaletown.

    Beef tataki  Chef Omakase special menu  Caterpillar roll
    Joanne Y.

    The ambience is very nice it's in Yaletown. The food is pretty good too, the Omakase chef special is very delightful. Presentation is great as well.

    Special of the day :)
    Gabriel Y.

    This Sushi bistro is amazing.. the menu you can find a lot of good options. If you were there before 6p.m. I suggest you choose one of the happy yours, because it's cheap and good selections for 1 person. The sashimi is really fresh, there are some options with fish from Japan. So you know what I'm meaning... There are some niguiri really good :) and the amazing rolls The creme brullet was amazing, perhaps the banana one, it was not so good :/ The place is so clean and nice with a cool patio. The service was really good and helpful..

    Derek Y.

    A true sign of a great meal is when we flip back through our pictures and the tastes and smells come rushing back into our minds. This was definitely the case here when we were invited to sample the sushi, Omakase style, at @bistrosakana! They did not hold back as they served us piece after piece of their fresh fish from their menu. There are several places in Vancouver that get their sushi from Japan, but this has to be the best we've had yet, with every piece being fresh, moist and delicious. Some standout pieces include their O-toro with Caviar, the Japanese Tiger Prawn, the Japanese Uni, and their crab meat sushi! We were extremely impressed by the quality of the fish offered and after this meal, Sakana Bistro has definitely became one of the top spots in town for us! If you have not had a chance to try this restaurant yet, definitely add it to your must-visit list.

    Chicken karaage
    Sylvia S.

    Came here as Minami was full with a wait. I had never been nor heard of bistro sakana but considering they had a happy hour on drinks (after 9pm) we decided to give it a try. Food: - the food was mediocre in my opinion - salmon oishi, satori sashimi (considered a must try) was flavourless ($30 for a measly 5-6 pieces) - pork belly was not bad - chicken karaage was ok - shrimp aburi (3 pieces for $15) was my favourite - happy hour drinks were just beer and gekkeikan sake and they said they don't have happy hour food Interior: - nice and heated covered patio - washroom is in separate establishment outside of resto - no wifi Service: - just ok - many of the items we wanted were not available including some alcoholic beverages (umeshu) Overall it wasn't that great but considering how busy Yaletown gets on a Saturday night it gave us a place to sit and eat quickly.

    Shirley Q.

    This pandemic has forced restaurants, who can, to only offer pick up or delivery. I love dining here and now I am forced to do delivery. I ordered a variety of tuna - hamachi, toro and blue fin. Delicious. Arrived well presented. It is pricey but you pay for quality. Another successful delivery for my end of week Sushi routine. Thank you?

    Baked Scallop

    Came here two times and both experiences were great. Food are amazing and fresh. Staff are very polite and responsive. Everything is reasonably priced.

    Crispy Ahi Tart with creamy truffle sauce, shiso, and arugula

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    1 year ago

    Went here for dine-out week, the food is just so-so. Too expensive compared to what you can get somewhere else.

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    2 years ago

    Hands down this is he beat sushi place in Yaletown. I've been coming here for 15 years and it never disappoints.

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    4 years ago

    Quality Japanese cuisine with reasonable price. I'm a regular when I'm in the area. Especially the chirashi! My favourite!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Bistro Sakana Reviews in Other Languages

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    Tom Sushi

    Tom Sushi

    4.7
    (392 reviews)
    1.1 km
    $$

    I would give Tom Sushi 6 stars if I could. This is one of my all time favorite sushi places. I…read morefound out about this restaurant from a few different YouTubers who highly recommended it. Not just for great sushi, but really affordable prices as well. Yes, the wait for a table can get long. We waited about 45 minutes, and there's no area to wait except outside or go take a walk since they will text you when your table is ready. I also appreciate seeing where my place in line is through Yelp! First, a shoutout to the wonderful service here. Everywhere I go in Vancouver the service is great, but the server here was so friendly, helpful and efficient. The ambiance is really nice here and I love the place settings! We had a lot, so here is my breakdown: Spicy Agedashi Tofu - lightly fried tofu in a sauce that reminded me of gochuchang sauce. 7/10 Gyoza - crispy fried with a pork/veggie filling. 6/10 Karaage chicken - on the bone, but delicious nonetheless. Served with a mayo sauce. 7/10 Tuna Bomb - 10/10 this came out last because it takes longer to make. This is an absolute must-do. Crispy rice patties with a spicy tuna spread that you just place on the rice. Salmon jalapeno aburi hako - 10/10 I have been excited about this since I heard about it. The seared salmon on top of rice with a shrimp tempura running through the middle. The salmon and sauce on top melt in your mouth. Red Dynamite Roll - 9/10 this was my brother's favorite. I wanted it to be a bit spicier, but that said it's still so amazing. Mango Flower Roll - 9/10 if you like mango then you will love this. This also just melts in your mouth and that mango is just so fresh. California roll - 8/10 as great as a California roll can be! No complaints here! Rainbow Roll - I didn't get to try it, but my niece gave it a 10/10! I will definitely be coming back here again.

    My friend wanted to try this place, so we decided to give it a try. We arrived around 5:45pm, and…read morewere told there would be about a 90 min wait and they would contact us when our table is ready. It ended up being closer to 60 min. The place is not big. I counted maybe 36 seats. The interior is nice but generic enough to be just about any type of restaurant. The menu accessed via QR code. I ended up trying the following: - Assorted Tempura: Good. Light batter, but slightly overbrowned. - Miso Black Cod: Good. More elaborate presentation than most, but very small piece. - Salmon Belly Sashimi: Very good. Fresh and delicious. - Tom Special Roll Tray: Very good. A great way to sample all the different roll, all which are very good. I thought it was reasonably priced and could adequately feed 4 people. Service was very good. There are a LOT of staff, so we were constantly being checked on to make sure we were happy and got anything we needed. Overall a good meal. It doesn't classify as the best sushi in Vancouver, but I can see the quality-value ratio might be the best in the city. All the food was quite good and certainly not overpriced. I imagine the high staff count was due to the overwhelming amount of takeout orders. I would return.

    Photos
    Restaurant interior
    Restaurant interior
    Red dragon roll
    Red dragon roll
    Salmon jalapeno aburi

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    Salmon jalapeno aburi
    Saku

    Saku

    4.3
    (298 reviews)
    1.4 km
    $$

    This is a Japanese barbecue restaurant worth visiting. The barbecue here tastes fantastic, the…read moresushi is crispy, the interior is spacious, and the service is very friendly.

    I had no idea that katsu could taste this GOOD. I mean, all katsu I've had prior to eating at Saku…read morejust pales in comparison. Who knew??? My hubs and I vacationed in Vancouver a few weeks ago in late April. We had seen the long lines for dinner at Saku when we were here more than a year ago. So, we decided to give them a try for a late lunch around 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. No wait. We got seated right away. We liked how spacious and airy the dining room was. Our wait staff were friendly and on point. They were considerate about answering our questions about the food and food allergies. I ordered the chicken thigh katsu ($26 Can) and my hubs got the chicken thigh curry ($28.50 Can). No dairy involved in either dish which I was happy about because I have challenges digesting milk protein. Yes, it's kinda pricey. Yes, it's totally worth it. The katsu is light, crispy, fried perfectly, not greasy, and comes with unlimited rice, miso soup, finely chopped cabbage salad, and an addictively delicious sesame dressing. My hubs' curry sauce was served on the side so he could pour out as much or as little as he wanted. All in all, it was a very pleasant and satisfying meal. Saku is top notch for katsu. You won't believe how good katsu can be until you try it.

    Photos
    Saku
    Saku
    Saku

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    Minami

    Minami

    4.1
    (846 reviews)
    0.0 km
    $$$

    We loved our dinner at Minami. We came on a Friday night with an infant and sat in the back…read morecourtyard area. The staff was welcoming and kind. The food was amazing. We loved the pressed sushi. The salmon oshi was probably our favorite. The ebi oshi was delicious as well. We also got the duck breast and Brussel sprouts. The drinks were great as well - I had the daiquiri and the ginza margarita.

    If you haven't had aburi sushi, this is the place to fix that. Minami is the sister restaurant to…read moreMiku and they're the ones who brought the flame-seared style to Vancouver, so they know exactly what they're doing. Each piece gets torched over charcoal which gives it this smoky, melt-in-your-mouth quality, and the specialty sauces mean you don't even reach for the soy (they will also say to your face not to, so unless you want to endure their judgement--which my husband happily does--I'd stay away from soy sauce for the aburi. Their salmon oshi is well known, I love the ebi oshi the most but definitely get both and decide for yourself. The whole menu delivers though, from the sashimi to the rolls to the cocktails, all of it beautifully plated without feeling fussy. The space is nice too, took a big group of family here once after an event and they all loved it. And if you're here in the summer ask about the garden patio out back. It's an elevated experience but never stuffy. Perfect for a date night or when you want to treat yourself. Reservations are a good idea because it fills up. Easily one of my favourite spots in Yaletown though!

    Photos
    Stunning artwork
    Stunning artwork
    Minami zen has three courses, and this is one of them.
    Minami zen has three courses, and this is one of them.
    Minami Martini ... Kyoto Sparkles

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    Minami Martini ... Kyoto Sparkles
    Okeya Kyujiro

    Okeya Kyujiro

    4.8
    (44 reviews)
    0.1 km

    I went here for a special occasion dinner. Reservations are highly recommended because they are…read morevery small - 12 diners per sitting and 2 sittings per night. I made reservations about 4 months in advance. Upon arrival, one of the hostesses opened the door for us, and asked us to wait in a very ornate waiting area. We only waited a couple of minutes before another hostess seated us at the main seating area. The space is very dark, and only lit with candles while the rest of the diners trickled in. During that time they take drink orders, which is limited to sake, wine, beer and a few non-alcoholic drinks. Of note, they don't provide a drink menu, so we were a little surprised by the cost - the yuzu sake and the plum wine were $30 each. My non-alcoholic drink was $12, but a fair size. The theatrical portion started a few minutes later than the official start time - closer to 6pm. The shades lifted, the lights turned on, and the chefs introduced themselves. And from that moment on, they immediately went to work preparing our meal. They operate like clockwork to show the ingredients whole to the diners, and then preparing them, and serving them. Soon as the one dish was completed by all the diners, the next round came shortly after. Over 20+ dishes, there was very little wait time in between each. Each time a dish was served, a hostess was there to describe the dish and provided tips on how best to eat it. The food was overall was very good. I thought a few items were very average, most of them were very good, and a select few were truly outstanding. Most of the ingredients are imported from Japan, so I would imagine that it's part of the reason it's so expensive. This is definitely a splurge meal. I think half the diners at our sitting was celebrating a birthday. On the most part, the food is very good, watching the chefs at work is part of the entertainment, and the service is excellent. It's not some place I could afford to go to often, but glad to do it at least this one time.

    I made a reservation at Okeya Kyujiro for my partner's 40th birthday, and he had the best time…read more Honestly, it was one of the most memorable omakase experiences I've had in Vancouver. Okeya Kyujiro is a Michelin one-star theatrical omakase restaurant, and when they say theatrical, they mean it! From the moment you're welcomed by smiling ushers in kimono to the closing tea ceremony, every movement feels intentional, precise, and elevated. The ambiance is serene and anticipatory. At the start, guests sit in silence as a black screen conceals the chefs. You see their shadows moving behind it. A bell rings, the screen lifts, and the performance begins. Dinner is a 25+ course experience priced at $325 per person. It's undeniably a splurge, but for a milestone celebration, it feels justified. The menu is seafood-forward, with many ingredients flown in from Japan. Each ingredient is presented before preparation, then carefully assembled and served directly from chef to guest. Courses arrive one by one, never rushed. The service team moves seamlessly in the background, refilling water and attending to drinks (available as an add-on) without disrupting the flow. The finale is a matcha ceremony, whisked in front of you with the same quiet precision that defines the evening. When the final sip is taken, the bell chimes once more, the chefs and staff bow, and the screens close. It was a beautifully choreographed dining experience, perfect for marking a special moment, and one I'd gladly return to for the next celebration.

    Photos
    Inside the waiting area before being taken to your seat.
    Inside the waiting area before being taken to your seat.
    Lychee jelly w/ brown sugar syrup, ginger icecream monaka, crown melon + japanese orange
    Lychee jelly w/ brown sugar syrup, ginger icecream monaka, crown melon + japanese orange
    A5 wagyu sukiyaki

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    A5 wagyu sukiyaki

    Bistro Sakana - japanese - Updated August 2026

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