One of the border agents suggested this place and we were very happy with his suggestion. I had gone back and forth everyday because our hotel reservation on the Canada side got canceled because our room was given to fire evacuees. Anyway, it was because of that we were recommended this place. Just so happened we had a craving for good sushi and we were close to St Catharines. We didn't have reservations for dinner and it looked crowded when we arrived but turned out they were able to seat us right away. Must've been the last available table. Staff was very fast and appeared to all be working as a team. There was a slip up on an order, but it was fine as they apologized and comped the dish that was given to us by mistake. Everything we ordered was very good and the prices were welcome as we had to fork out extra money to find last minute accommodations. read more

First visit, walked by it forever, never thought much of it...boy was I ever wrong and feel like I've missed out for all those years. First off the space is beautiful. It's an old building behind the library. They did a great job renovating it and keeping the old feel. Oysters were on special so we split a dozen. They were fresh as can be. We ordered alacart, as usually all you can eat is not really my thing. So we ordered a couple combos, sashimi and sushi. They all came quick served with miso soup and a small salad. The fish tasted super fresh and the rice was great. We had green tea to drink. I would recommend this if you are looking for some sushi and a fun night out . Or a hot date! read more

See all

I live in GTA and I will drive back to St. Catharine just to eat this. Food was amazing. I forgot to take pictures of all the cooked food but everything was very tasty and nicely plated. The sashimi was fresh, best I have had. The service was top notch. I have been to their other location but I think this place was even better. They also have more food variety than the other location, including hamachi (yellowtail) which is very hard to find. The restaurant was nicely decorated, perfect for a date night or a special occasion. The only con was the parking. There is no free parking and even the paid parking was hard to find. read more

See all

East is one of the best restaurants in St. Catharines! Mariana was our server this time around and she was amazing. Fast, professional, and utterly delightful! The food is amazing but the service is really what makes East a favourite for me and everyone I know. read more

Came here for dinner with friends and family. I like that there's an option for Ala carte or AYCE. Their bento box prices are pretty decent pricing for the amount you get which is great. People are nice as well. read more

See all

Grabbed some lunch at East Izakaya! We were seated right away although it was quite busy. We were given the menu which they have AYCE (ipad for ordering) and a là carte options. They have a lot of variety on their menu with great options. The service was great and food came out in a timely manner - was also very nicely presented. The only thing is that the food was not the best. It looks very yummy and was okay - I think it was the fish quality that led me to the three stars. It just wasn't as great to what I'm used to. Additionally, I found that the nigiri had a lot of rice w/ a thin slice of fish. However, I still had a good experience as the service and atmosphere were great! read more

See all

We had been planning to stop next door, but when unable to get a table, my friend and I went to East Izakaya. It was a happy accident. They were quick to clear a table and very attentive with the service. Despite being very busy, I never once felt rushed. The waitress was wonderful and the food was good. I was surprised that the chicken I had was so tender, as I have come to expect more dry chicken when in an AYCE-type setting. The price for the variety to have AYCE is really great and worthwhile. It's a cute place for a date night or just a night out with friends. read more

The dining experience at East Izakaya was fun and delicious. It should be guaranteed happiness with the AYCE offer. There must be something for everyone. I thought their sushi rice was really tasty, and the salmon and beef dishes were great. We didn't actually experience real tuna, but it wasn't a big deal. I just know better what not to order the next time. The people who took care of us were also super pleasant and helpful. Although we had to wait for our missing orders longer than expected, we still had a splendid time. So, of course, no complaints. Making a reservation for Saturday evening was a good idea. The restaurant was full of customers, and lots of people were in line to get in. read more

See all

I've always been a huge fan and lover of wind sushi so when I found out east izakaya is in the same group I had to check it out! Place is huuuuge. Lots of tables and seating but would recommend to make a reservation! Came here with a group and service was great! Same concept where you order off an iPad and the stuff comes pretty quickly. I came for dinner on a weekend and it was $42 pp. Coolest part? They have robot cats that deliver your food to you!! I mean how cute?! And after you take your stuff you tap the device letting the robot know you're down. Food is all good here but highly recommend getting the sashimi, tataki, handrolls, torched rolls, and the Korean short ribs. And save yourself for dessert because they have crème brûlée and I always eat at least 2! Honestly love this place so much for the variety of food because they have Thai, Japanese, and Korean! read more

See all

I was visiting Niagara Falls with a group of friends and we found this place online and were all in agreement for Japanese cuisine. Happy to find a parking lot and the inside was very modern, clean, and chic. Even the bathrooms are nice lol. There were so many good drink options and yummy items on the menu that it was hard to choose what to get! I thought it was really interesting that they had a robot zooming around that was either collecting dishes or serving drinks. We had a few different servers come to our table, and all of them were very nice, and I understand why this place has been so highly rated and is award-winning. Our table got a variety of dishes, I can't remember them all, but I know that everyone loved what they got! Was the shoyu poke bowl, and I definitely enjoyed it! For an all-around great dining experience, I would definitely recommend this place! read more

This was the first sushi restaurant in St. Catharines, and it has givin' the best Japanese foodie experience ever! Freshest ingredients, safest seafood and amazing beef! Greg says.....you gotta eat here! read more

East Izakaya - Sashimi, crab, Rangoon and spicy shrimp roll! - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

I brought my brother and his fiancé from out of the province here a few years ago. His fiancé still talks about this place and wants to come back to St. Catharines just to eat here. read more

A mix of things here most of which are quite good. The seaweed salad was tasty, but a bit too wet, a bit too sweet, and not enough quantity. The ramen could have been more flavorful, but the amount of seafood in the dish was quite appreciable, with decent quantities of shrimp and clam in the broth. The bamboo and odeng bits were a nice touch. The cook on the noodle was properly done. The batter on the veggie and shrimp tempura were not quite right ... seemed to be too much batter, and not flaky or light enough. The pumpkin in the veggie tempura was a nice touch! The Queen of Fish roll, with "mango and crabmeat topped with avocado, fish roe and mango sauce" worked decently; the fish roe was plentiful and the crabmeat provided significant depth of protein. I wish the mango sauce were more flavorful. The mango itself was also oddly crunchy, rather than soft, but that might have been by design. The Eel Lover Roll with "shrimp tempura and cucumber topped with eel and BBQ eel sauce" was quite decent as well, with nice crunchy cucumber balancing the sweetness of the eel sauce. The golden dragon roll also had cucumber and avocado and asparagus, underneath a mango sauce and mango exterior. This roll seemed more delicate than the others providing some balance. read more

My husband and I were looking for somewhere new to go for our anniversary and hadn't been to Canada at all since February 2020. We found this place on Google I believe, and everything looked good so we made a reservation online. The restaurant itself is small but cozy. I liked the exposed brick walls. You order on an iPad and then the server officially puts the order in. I'm not sure why they have to approve it as they charge you for extras if you waste any food for the all you can eat. We each ordered 2 drinks during the course of the meal and they were each a little sweet for our taste. I was expecting a bigger drink menu for the size of the food menu. We started with a dozen oysters (not included in all you can eat) and then ordered several times. We tried to stick to more unique rolls that we don't normally get. Our favorite was the prosciutto and cheese roll, and the fruit rolls. I wanted to order ramen as that was an option, but didn't want to end up too full. They also had Americanized Chinese food options like general tso chicken etc. I thought the menu had a ton of variety but we were missing tuna rolls. We asked if they had it and they did not. The food all came out very quickly, with the exception of one shrimp item I ordered and forgot about that came with the dessert but that was fine. I was excited to see creme brulee on the menu as that's what I like to order for dessert when I go out to eat. We would definitely return, we thought that the value for the all you can eat was very good, especially with the exchange rate. The total after conversion was about $130 American with tip for two all you can eat dinners, four drinks and a dozen oysters! read more

See all

East Izakaya serves up a delicious assortment of fresh, traditional Japanese cuisine. It is the perfect spot for satisfying sushi cravings, with many different rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls to try. Not just the sushi is amazing, they also serve up many tasty bites for non-seafood eaters. The meats, noodles, appetizers, and desserts are all high-quality and delicious. Besides the food, the service and atmosphere is beyond great. I also must mention that the washrooms here are the best I have ever been to. Overall, East Izakaya serves up great sushi, meats, and desserts, and is the perfect spot for a lunch with friends, a date night, or any other occasion. read more

See all

Food, Service and Ambience are all great at this all you can eat sushi restaurant! My favourite in the Niagara region has lots of food choices on its menu. You can enjoy a la carte or all-you-can-eat! All you can eat is above average with choices in comparison to most alternatives, and the food always comes out fresh, hot or cold and fast. Huge variety of sushi, sashimi etc. with also the benefit of lots of hot food! Regardless of how busy they are, they always have quick service and fast delivery of the food. If you want a great all-you-can-eat sushi experience definitely recommend coming here ! As every time I do I have not been disappointed! read more

East is a crazy experience. There is a tablet to order on, a server, and a robot food runner. It is all you can eat so we ate a lot. Highlight was the beef tartare with yuzu, everything else was good too just not as memorable. Red bean ice cream tasted like strawberry. Szechuan tofu was a miss. A few things were delivered wrong but who cares, it's good. read more

See all

Had really good sushi and all you can eat is great with lots of people. Gives you a chance to try lots of stuff.

We stopped here for dinner on our way home from Canada and had no idea it was all-you-can-eat until we sat down--def a fun surprise! Our server, Anya, was super friendly and explained everything to us. The food was fresh and delicious, especially the hand rolls, and we ate so much we were about to burst, lol! The cozy atmosphere made the whole experience even better. Oh, and the deep-fried Mars bar for dessert? Absolutely to die for! We had an awesome time and would definitely come back! read more

Great service from the lunch staff on a Saturday afternoon. They were friendly and very attentive. The food came out fairly quickly. We went with the lunch option for the ayce as there were enough options for the two of us to choose from. read more

Wow! Is this real life? I have never experienced such amazing AYCE sushi in all my life. Did I say AYCE sushi? Because the menu also includes SASHIMI AND NIGIRI AND YAKI AND OTHER STUFF AND TONS OF ENTREES! Wow, the menu selection is simply just incredible. AYCE Dinner is only $31 CAD. Wow, the sushi tastes like the fish just swam into my mouth. Wow, the pork belly is so juicy! They have the meat Brazilian steakhouse style. I saved my stomach for the sushi, though. Wow, the dessert.... let me get to the dessert. The portion sizes are very small so you can try one of everything! It is so good. Get the fried milk. Get the fried oreo. Get the fried ice cream. Get everything! WOOWWWW EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD! The service is very good here. You can also order easily on the iPad at your table. Very nice restaurant location with good vibes. 10/10 recommend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If I am ever in this area, I'm coming here. If you ever to Niagara Falls, just go here. COME HERE! read more

See all

Large selection of savory Japanese delights, fast service and clean premises. This is my go to Japanese restaurant. If you order in, they will send over the top amounts of dips and flavourings. Consistent. read more

This was such a nice place to try out! For a first time visit, I would have appreciated slightly more of an introduction to the ordering process and expectations, but I believe the server was new and I certainly won't hold that against E.I. The sushi was really great, and I enjoyed the atmosphere, the 4 stars is for 2 specific reasons. Options for non-seafood eaters weren't plentiful, and even though we used the instructions feature to ask them to separate sushi from cooked food (for my wife's preferences), a few plates mixed the cuisine and that made us have to reorder. Again, cannot wait to visit this place in the future. read more

This a great find on our excellent culinary adventure. We made a trip to the Falls and decide to hang back to beat the traffic/rush hour in Toronto. We Yelped restaurants in the immediate area of where we were and here we are! East Izakaya is great! We were slightly confused to begin with so an explanation and a greeting would have helped. Although, once in the swing of things we were off and running ordering like an experts. It help when you have a few people at your table. A huge variety of dishes and you can order as many of your favourites as you like. I liked the takoyaki/octopus balls, Squid legs, ramen, crazy amount of desserts too. Check this place out it super fun. read more

See all

Fresh all you can eat sushi, friendly, waitresses, a roaming serving robot, and very nice trendy atmosphere.

All you can eat sushi lunch $12.99 !!!!!!!!! It was packed on a Friday afternoon around 1:15. Luckily we were seated immediately without a reservation! So I found this place through yelp and drove 45minutes from buffalo to come here. Was it worth the trip? Absolutely! Will I come back within the next month? Most definitely! Will I eat sushi in buffalo ever again? Only if I have strong craving for sushi and don't have enough time to make a trip here. All you need to know is that they do not attempt to fill you up by putting too much rice in their rolls and sushi pieces! Service is friendly! Each dish is consistently yummy! Nothing I hated! & they have so many options for their lunch buffet! Green tea ice cream!!! Look at their website for their menu! I'm so full right now! Yes, Canada has higher tax than US, but what's 6%more for better quality and yummier sushi?! Just to note, their tuna during lunch is white tuna. No biggie. (I forgot my phone in my car so I couldn't take pictures :( wah) read more

East Izakaya - All you can eat! - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

I have been here multiple times and the food and service has been fantastic. However, during my last visit there, I found fruit flies in my soya sauce. The manager assured me it was no big deal and "it's just fruit flies." I found it very disgusting that there were fruit flies in my food and it could have been handled in a better way. The restaurant runs on an iPad, all you can eat menu with lots to choose from. The interior is very nicely decorated and the ambiance is pleasant. It is a great place for a date night. I would recommend this to a friend and would revisit. However, the incident of the fruit flies really effected my mood during my visit. read more

East Izakaya - Torched sushi - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

Where do I begin... There is so much to say about this place. My wife and I have joked around saying we should have a subscription to this place with free rolls and discounts because of how much we eat here. Every dine in experience has been perfect. The vibe as you enter the restaurant is both energetic and chill. They always seem to have room even without a reservation. The AYCE menu is superb. (especially the dinner menu) The service is so quick and effiecient. Every staff member greets you with a smile and treats you like a regular. Okay okay, lets talk about the take out... We order uber eats take out from here monthly to bi weekly. (dont judge us) The portions given are far from small. The rolls hold together well, the appies are still warm, they give ample amounts of sauce and wasabi and chopsticks. We will continue to support such an amazing place and urge you all to do the same. read more

Wow! I discovered this place online while looking for a place to eat from when coming back from a trip to the United States. I was in the mood for some Japanese cuisine and did not want to drive all the way home to London, so I did a Google search on best places for such food in the Niagara Region and this place came up first. With so many great reviews, I figured this place would be worth trying. I hit the jackpot by coming here. I ordered a shrimp tempura appetizer along with pineapple fried rice. Both dishes were absolutely delicious and tasted quite authentic. I ended up not being able to stop eating once I started doing so - that's how great the food was. The overall ambiance was rather busy and noisy, but modern and cheerful. Service was also excellent. Since I do not live in St. Catharines, I don't know when the next time I will be here again will be, but what I can say is I will definitely be back here in the future! read more

We eat at a LOT of sushi places all across North America and our visit to East Izakaya was breathtaking! From the superb quality of each and every dish, to the very interesting and creative menu items, to the Brazilian-BBQ-like table service, this is without a doubt the best sushi restaurant of the dozens we have been to. Peak times can be busy, quite understandably, but our mid-afternoon visit was without compromise and just a perfect meal experience! I can't recommend this place highly enough. We'll be back again and again! read more

See all

My first glance at the name of this place made me think of other Izakaya places, which are generally louder and a la carte style. However, this isn't the place to go if that's what you're expecting. It's actually an amazing all you can eat place! First off, the restaurant itself looked very fancy on the outside and inside. It also had amazing customer service, which is generally hard to find at all you can eat places. There was a great variety of foods (sashimi was pretty fresh) and desserts (I loved the strawberry mousse, mango mousse, and mango pudding!). The only thing I had ordered that I was disappointed with was a seafood soup - it smelled and tasted very much like raw seafood, so I would steer clear of this dish if I were you. My favourite part about this place was that they had a Brazilian steakhouse style for some of their grilled foods, such as grilled pineapple and shrimp. They also had this apple pie dessert that was not on the menu, but the servers had walked around to each of the tables to offer to customers. I'm not sure if this is something that is only done during weekends and holidays (I had gone during the holidays), so it might be good to ask if this is what you want to come here to try. Definitely a hidden gem and I wish they had something similar in Toronto! Highly recommend if you're in the St Catharines area! read more

Searching for a sushi place since moving to Niagara we found EAST and there just isn't anywhere else that can compare. The food is so delicious and the portions are wonderfully generous, you won't get a tiny piece of fish to a giant lump of rice. It can get quite crowded so we try to visit outside of the rush busy meal times. Our last visit was at 1:30pm and although most seating is still full it does feel uncrowded. Typically the food service is very fast and server attention is frequent, however our last visit had one person's food about 5 minutes delayed from everyone else. Additionally, our drinks were not refilled and empty dishes were not cleared, so only 4 stars, but the food is definitely over 5 stars! Parking is a issue, if you're visiting during a busy period, make sure to check out options with google maps. Every staff member wants to make sure you're happy, so if anything is the least bit not to your liking, please don't get upset and just mention it, they will do everything to make it right. read more

See all

The food is always top notch and hot! The service is usually quick and efficient, and the ambiance is beautiful! Great spot.

Went here with my mom sister and her girlfriend because we were visiting Niagara on the Lake. We didn't know what to expect as I saw the ratings on Yelp and made a reservation knowing that it was sushi. When we arrive we realize it was a very popular place as all the tables were full on a Thursday night and people were waiting out the door. It's a typical sushi place with iPad ordering all-you-can-eat style but with the addition of Brazilian skewers being brought around along with the famous grilled pineapple. Everything was good including the service the only thing that it could be improved was the Brazilian offerings were not available apparently only chicken wings on Wednesdays. We waited about 25 minutes for grilled pork belly and tofu just to not get it even after we paid. 430 something dollars before tax and tip you would think they would tell you that the thing wasn't available or just bring it out. read more

I love this place, came here a few weeks ago and had to come here with mom to celeberate my BIRTHDAY, the staff are so nice and accommodating! Will be back soon:) read more

East Izakaya - It's my birthday - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

If you are looking for high quality sushi, superb service and the best mixed drinks & signature cocktails then look no further than East Izakaya. I have been many times for both Lunch and Dinner and the experience is always 10/10. You will see all of your favourite sushi's on their lunch and dinner menu as well as some special items like their meat skewers that come around to the tables--the steak is comparable to a Brazilian Steakhouse! If you have not yet tried East you will NOT be disappointed. read more

East Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

Will definitely come again! Fresh sashimi, good skewer, nice desserts, quick and good service. We ended up eating too much! Only that rice is not cooked very well. read more

This establishment is a live proof of the public wisdom!!! Once upon a Friday, I was sightseeing St. Catharines, when a grumpy, noisy, trembling stomach reminded me it was time for me to get a meal. Walking downtown while using my phone almost caused me to fall, so I stopped at the library and after consulting yelp, I decided to go to East Japanese Restaurant. Why I picked it in between 4 other restaurants with good ratings? +I was starving, and they have a $13 dls AYCE for lunch, and I was on time... +The pictures of their food made me salivate; +People wrote good things about a beef roll with mushrooms, octopus, and calamari... +I was planning to drink some wine afterwards, so a happy, fulfilled, smiley belly would avoid my drunk self to appear. +I passed by and it didn't look like place in where Salmonella would like to hang out... I ordered a miso soup that was average to good; the sushi was fresh, and the calamari crispy, but my favorite items were the beef rolls, and the octopus. I couldn't resist to remove my belt, and ask with guilty face for another octopus in a stick. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the clientele looked satisfied in their own heterogeneous ways. read more

East Izakaya - Calamari and sushi - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

See all

Best sushi place ever!!! It is a little pricey but all worth it! They have amazing variety or rolls, sushis and dishes! The inside of the restaurant is very modern, clean and aesthetic it is definitely one of my go to sushi buffet places!! You have to try one of the dessert "fried mars bar" cuz that one is read more

Thus place as been recently renovated, so the interior looks great and feels more authentic than before. The place itself is very adequately staffed so the orders arrive timely even during the lunch rush. The staff is very polite and extremely helpful, yet not annoying. New menu does not have any fancy rolls instead focusing on quality and size. The menu has all of the essentials including good selection of eel salmon and tuna rolls. On top of that there are several waiters walking around offering people traditional Japanese skewers. They tasted great and I thought it was a nice touch. I am giving this place 5/5 because I strongly believe that this is currently the best sushi place in St.Cathrines. read more

East Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario