We finally had to find out what all the hype was about!…read more We kept seeing this Japanese restaurant get top ratings and heard it was really popular in Nanaimo, so we decided to try it for ourselves. Was it actually worth all the hype? We ordered the Sora Omakase Sashimi (8 types, chef's choice) along with a few other special rolls, and the sashimi was the real star of the show. The fish was incredibly fresh and generously thick-cut, with a great variety of premium sashimi. We were impressed by the creativity, generous portions, and presentation. Compared to other sushi places we've tried in the city, the quality and attention to detail here really made a difference. The prices are a bit higher than some other restaurants on the island, but after tasting the food, we thought the quality made it worth it. If you love sashimi, we especially recommend trying their sashimi options. There are plenty of premium choices. The restaurant itself has a modern-chic atmosphere, and it was BUSY. We saw a mix of locals, visitors, and a steady stream of takeout orders. Despite the crowd, our food came out surprisingly quickly, and the quality stayed top-notch. Whether you want a casual sushi night for two or a place to celebrate with a group, the menu has enough variety to please everyone. We came in wondering if the hype was real, and left understanding exactly why it's so popular. Honestly, Nori deserves the 5 stars from us. We're not the Michelin Guide, but we can definitely see why people are talking about it. Food: 5/5 Must Try! Service: 5/5 Kids: 4/5 Presentation: 4/5 Parking: 3/5 Tips: * Reservations are highly recommended. * Walk-ins are accepted, but be prepared for a potentially long wait during busy times. * The menu is extensive, so take your time deciding. * Great option for everything from date night to group celebrations. Would I Return: Yes ‍

All aspects are wonderful. The food is exceptional and service and ambiance are perfectread more

Before ending our camping trip, we stopped by this cute Japanese restaurant before our ferry. The…read morerestaurant is very spacious and clean with modern decor. There wasn't a lineup when we got there, so we were seated right away. Their menu has lots of options of different rolls, udon, sashimi etc. Because it was lunch time, we ordered some bento box. I ordered bento box A with California roll for my daughter, and chicken udon for myself. My hubby ordered some sushi taco, and a Ubuild bento box. The food came pretty slow, which was strange. There wasn't a lot of customers when we got there. The bento boxes were pretty fresh with good portion. The sushi taco was a little yummy, however, the deep fried seaweed is on the greasy side with lots of batter. I was a little disappointed with the chicken udon, it was pretty standard and the chicken was pretty soggy. However, nothing beats a hot bowl of soup in a rainy day. Overall, we still enjoyed our meal. Not sure if I will go back, but I'm glad we got to experience it.

This was our second time eating here, we had mid expectations. We ordered two bento boxes to share…read more The deep fried components tasted like old fryer oil. Which was 90% of the bento box. When we told the waitress we didn't like it she took it away and just brought us our bill without offering us anything else. There was no discount or compensation. We left hungry and sad.

Wow, the first authentic asian place I encountered in my one week trip from nanaimo to port alberni…read moreto tofino. Run by Japanese people and you can feel the vibe through decorations and manners. After having some fake ramens, we especially enjoyed this place which is almost on par with Vancouver ramen shops. Black garlic oil is delicious as always and the spicy one is not spicy at all. The regular chashu is very tough sadly, but the pork belly one was very tender. I gave this place 5 stars despite the tough chashu since this is the best that you can get in the Nanaimo area. We also had the fried oysters which were yummy but quite expensive.

Very ,very disappointed, waited an hour, tasteless broth, one tiny blob of pork that was mostly…read morefat, we were excited to try but we won't recommend or go back. Total waste of money

The staff is fast and welcoming…read more We ordered edamame, avocado maki, veggie sumono salad, yam tempura and tofu don bowl. The serving sizes were great. We had tons of leftovers. Downsides: Both times we've been the table size is hilariously small. Like a polly pocket sized table. Not ideal for more than 1. I also had a mild allergic reaction after dining. So worth noting for the sake of safety. Despite ordering all veg. Fish definitely was on a knife or a cutting board somewhere. As a regular veg sushi orderer this is always a risk, but only the second time it's happened to me.

Nice little Japanese place in Nanaimo. I've been coming to Nanaimo for work in the past few months…read moreand have tried a couple Japanese places. This one is definitely one of my favourite. The lunch bentos are great value! The food is made well. And the service is great. Food comes fairly quickly. Definitely come here for lunch.

The absolute most horrible food. The seafood yakisoba noodles were canned seafood. There was not…read moreone fresh piece of seafood. The salmon sashimi still had skin on it (you'd think a sushi restaurant would know how to cut fish) the chicken teriyaki was mostly old battered pieces of chicken the size of a dime and dry (barely any teriyaki sauce) frozen spring rolls (I'm pretty sure from Costco) the tuna tataki salad was dry (no dressing and uncooked vermicelli noodles. I can't believe I paid $80 for food we barely touched. we just paid and left without a word and will never return. My partner is on point for saying that he wouldn't even feed that food to a dog. It's beyond me how that place is still open. It was a huge sign that at dinner rush there was no one in there.

Everything we have had is really good. Monkey brains and vegetarian rolls are perfect when in the…read moremood for avocado.

HORABLE A 83 MIN WAIT THE FOOD WASN'T EVEN GOOD! When I picked up my order (I had gotten coffee…read morefrom McDonald's well I was waiting ) he said where did you get that I told him and he said PUT IT IN THE TRASH! NO OUTSIDE FOOD! He literally took it and threw it out! 1 star

Seafood Yakisoba was good, but not over the top…read more Service was very good as usual./Washrooms are bright and spotless. I've had better lunches from this place on many occasions over the last year.

Absolutely delicious sushi - the rice and fish were both so soft, fresh and well-seasoned. The…read moreservice was excellent and prompt and the chef and servers were polite, friendly and efficient. I've eaten a lot of sushi in my day, and Bistro Taiyo was by far one of the best!

I was happy with the bento box special and tempura sweet potato! My son frequents Japan and we…read morewanted a little taste of Japan while he visited the island . It's a good bang for your buck. Food was tasty and I will go back for my fix of Japan tastes and Bento.

This Edo Japan has got serious problems. The beef is so tough you can't chew it so I stoped…read moreordering beef now I tried just chicken. And they hardly add chicken if I put it on a scale it would be barely a bite or two. I know times are tough but we 15$ for 2$ worth of rice some minimal veggies and hardly any chicken. I will never order from that place again

The sushi sucks tasted like water and the Boba is so bland would not come again 1 star.read more

New management has made the right changes ... Great mix of Asian cuisines !!!!…read more The sushi is fresh and tasty ... Though the Wasbi was a bit weak for my taste... The wild salmon is fresh and on point... Good cuts and a great serving size We also had some of the Korean dishes ... Bibimbap was delicious , crunchy rice and nice spice! I recommend the red octopus for the adventurous "spicy baby tako karaage" very tasty and super tender ... We had 3 orders! All in all a great experience ! Ps : beer offerings are a bit brief ...

Went for lunch, food took a bit long and the quality of food was not on par with pricing…read more I have had that type of quality sushi before, but the price was much lower. As always, my price/quality/quantity ratio plays a big role in how much I enjoy food. There are probably better sushi places out there for the price. Although some locals I spoke with say that the all you can eat is good...

Delicious and authentic food. We ordered a bunch of different dishes to try, the beef ribs are a…read moremust have! The dak gal bi and stir fried chicken noodles were also amazing.

After a day of catching clams and oysters, we stopped at this Korean place which was recommended by…read morea local. Good sized portions, fresh fish and tasty meats! I suggest Order many dishes to share! Service was good, they weren't expecting 12 more ppl for lunch LOL! Place seats about 20-30 ppl. Free parking out front.