Food 5/5 Service 4/5 Vibe 5/5 Another hidden Japanese style reso GEM in Toronto DT. I have really high hopes as it was a MISSION to get a reservation, and they did not disappoint. My personal fav was the toast dessert, liver paste with garlic toast and corns tempura. I feel a lot of dishes are a mix of Japanese and chinese culture (but not 100% sure), but everyone was a seller! Love, yum and want more b Overall 5/5! definitely coming back and trying out more dishes! #eatwithclaw read more

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Cool vibes & drinks with SMALL plates. Love the Tokyo toast ($10) deep fried thick toast with two scoops of taro ice cream and some crunchy toasted soba (feels like corn flakes). Tried a few other small plates and I mean they're SMALL small. Karachi ribs was tender and flavourful. Can't remember the rest because they were quite forgettable honestly. Unfortunately the rotational feature, a deep fried octopus, was kinda soggy and there wasn't much flavour. The powder on the side also added absolutely nothing to the dish. Drinks are quite good, I'd recommend the Kuchibeni ($17) with vodka, calico, and strawberry. The Shochu Highballs were quite strong, the oolong one tastes like watery tea spiked with hard alcohol. I think for 3 people, 3 drinks each, and 3 small dishes, total was about $250. Staff were friendly and attentive! Love the old school artsy Japanese hole in the wall wooden decor aesthetic. Fun place for drinks and to soak up the vibes, and maybe be a bit more selective on the dishes. read more

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This place has a really intimate vibe, dark and candlelit, very tight space. For me, it was just a little too dark and too squishy. The tables are super close and you hear way too much of the conversations next to you, which can be bad (or good) if you're trying to have your own. Service is friendly but pretty average. I wasn't really impressed with the food, and maybe I just had high expectations going in. I liked the corn, eggplant, and Tokyo toast. Great balance of flavours and texture in those dishes. The others were just okay, kind of overseasoned for my tastes. I like acidity but some of these just felt like a punch to the face and weren't delicate at all. Overall nothing too special for me. read more

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Imanishi Japanese Kitchen feels like one of those hidden places that makes a quiet night out feel extra special. It is cozy, affordable, and a great choice for small plates with drinks. The dish I would go back for without hesitation is the Shrimp and Cilantro Salad, so fresh, so fragrant, and perfect for anyone who loves strong cilantro flavor. I also enjoyed the Karashi Pork Ribs, which were tender and coated in a sweet-savory sauce that made them especially comforting. The fried dishes were fine but nothing remarkable, so I think this is the kind of place that shines more through its atmosphere, value, and a few standout plates rather than every dish being unforgettable. read more

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Beautiful small intimate spot, fun decor and pretty close together tables but alas- not a huge deal. Service was attentive and accommodating- easy to ask questions and always had a full cup of water. Sake selection is out of this world, I would've just gone for that. Food was amazing, dessert is one of the best in the city. Go on your next date night!! read more

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The hype is reaaaaal for this place omg, I totally get it now!! I came here for a belated birthday dinner with my friend and we sampled a bunch of yummy sounding foods on the menu. Kumamoto Melon Cocktail: their cocktails are on the smaller side but this one was so yummy and refreshing. I really love Japanese melon so this cocktail was yummy to me! Tai Carpaccio: sooo refreshing, I loved this dish. It was just a bit small ... I wanted more once I was finished haha Corn Kakiage: good, but I recently went to Menami and I actually feel like they do corn kakiage better Tebasaki (chicken wings): good crunch, and they give you wet wipes haha! Nothing mind blowing. Karashi Ribs: These were personally too saucy for me... Especially once the temperature drops over the meal, the sauce was just a little overpowering. Imanishi Curry: These pickled vegetables on top were surprisingly really good! Curry is nothing to write home about, a similar taste could be achieved at home in my opinion. Tokyo Toast: okay the hype is really real here too omg I feel like this toast was almost perfectly made. Only little complaint is that the toast could be a little less oily. But perfect dessert omggg Please come and try!!!! I love this restaurant :) read more

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Very busy and had to get reservations weeks in advance! The food was delicious, we enjoyed everything we ordered- the corn kakiage, curry spring rolls, tai carpaccio, monkfish liver pate. Could skip the calamari- it was good but nothing special. The drinks were also very tasty- kuchibeni and cassis margarita. Not too sweet and not too strong. Sadly we were so full and forgot to order the Tokyo toast :'( The issue is the service- we felt very rushed and were asked to leave after an hour..... I get it's busy but isn't the usual seating time at least 1.5 hours? Anyways we'll wait till the summer when the patio is open for more seating to come back for the Tokyo toast. read more

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The restaurant has a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere with soft lighting, making it very relaxing. I really like this kind of space where I can enjoy my meal undisturbed; it feels very pleasant. read more

After a long time got a chance to visit again - much busier than the first time I came in as we barely got a table at the end of the night. Food was exactly the same ... interesting inventive dishes, but the sashimi was still the standout. Fresh sashimi which is unusual for Toronto. Also enjoyed the miso soup - a bit pricey but simmered with fish. Loved the flavor. Can't wait to come back! read more

This place is everything it is hands down the best meal I've had in Canada honestly the best meal I've had anywhere recently. I was with a group of 5 so we tried an array of dishes we thought sounded good imanishi is perfect for sharing or larger groups. Our server and greeter were so kind and welcoming. Let me just start by saying with everything was so delicious the chicken karaage was super juicy and the creamy sauce it was paired with went so well together 7.8/10. The beef was seasoned so well it was the perfect amount of tangy and savory flavors 8.1/10. The eggplant was so fresh and the marinade that it was soaked in was so delicious this is a nice refreshing appetizer 8.8/10. The corn kakiage is perfect blend of savory and sweet flavors the corn was so buttery and delicious 9.2/10. The prawn and cilantro salad was refreshing and nice however I'm not a huge cilantro fan, but the cucumbers were wonderful 7.2/10. Now I'll get to my favorite item the Tokyo toast it's genuinely better than it looks. The taro ice cream pairing with perfectly crispy toast was the best dessert I've tried I would go back just for this 9.8/10. Make your reservations though as it's an extremely long wait time if you are a walk in. I'm going to come back before I leave Toronto overall 8.7/10 read more

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We walked in on a Friday evening and we were able to get bar seating for 2. They have a patio in the warmer months if you prefer to sit outdoors. We went during the weekend of Do West Fest, so there was a special menu. We got the anchovy potato salad & chips (more like anchovy flavoured potato salad), karashi ribs (with spicy horseradish sauce), corn kakiage (sweet, salty, crispy), and Tokyo toast (simple and delicious). The dishes we ordered were all solid. Each dish was a small tapas size, great to share with one other person. Washrooms are downstairs. Service is good, the bartender was friendly and they were attentive with refills and serving our food at the right time. Prices are reasonable. By the way, it's hard to get a reservation here, so don't be afraid to try to walk in for bar seating! read more

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Can't believe I only discovered this Izakaya recently. They offer great selection of dishes and sharing plates at reasonable prices. We enjoyed all the dishes we tried and had a delicious cocktail. The place is a little small but cozy, which is perfect for date night! Service was quick and staff was very friendly! What we tried: sakoku - on the sour side but very refreshing corn kakiage - sweet, salty and crunchy. Interesting and worth a try! pork belly miso katsu - very tasty! saba miso - portion was bigger than expected, but didn't find this very special ebi fry - sooo good with the tartar sauce! tebasaki - less crispy than I hoped Tokyo toast - must leave room for this dessert! Love the combination of the Japanese milk toast, taro ice cream and toasted soba bits! read more

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Reserved a spot and came here on a Tuesday night. The vibe of the restaurant would be perfect for a date night, with candle lights on each table. My top 3: Eggplant, Curry (it was a tie between curry and tai carpaccio), and Tokyo Toast Sashimi ($32 for 9 pieces) It came with Hamachi, Scallop, and Snapper. The pieces were tasty and fresh. It felt a bit expensive, but they were good. Cold Served Agedashi Eggplant ($9) I love eggplant, so I made sure to order this. My friend who wasn't too keen on ordering this said it was the highlight of the dinner. lol It was well soaked in dashi broth, well cooked, and tasted quite delicate but very tasty. Gailan Gomaae ($9) I liked how cooked the gailan was (not overly cooked with a nice crunch), but it tasted a bit too vinegar-y for a gomaae. I'm pretty sure it's because of the dressing they use, but I would probably not order it again. Beef Tataki ($21) The beef seemed a bit too cooked, and the fried chickpea added for a nice presentation, but was very dry and crusty for it to go with the dish personally. Tai Carpaccio ($19) This went REALLY well with the vinaigrette and salsa. I liked it much more than the tataki. Anchovy Potato Salad & Chips ($10) Great price. The anchovy taste was quite faint, and I found the potato chunks to be too big. I liked the idea of adding the taro chips, but I would want a potato salad that's a bit more flavorful and perhaps creamy. Corn Kakiage ($9) It was good. I love corn and I love kakiage in general, so seeing the reviews, I was definitely overly hyped about it. But it tasted like it looks. I do wish there was a bit more corn. Tebasaki ($15) Great value and pretty solid taste. The meat was quite juicy as well. Saba Miso-ni ($13) I was surprised by how much I got for $13. It was also very well cooked and the sauce was great. Karashi Ribs ($16) The meat was tender, juicy, and fell off the bone with ease. While, I thought this would be my highlight, the karashi mustard overpowered the dish a bit. Pork Belly Miso Katsu ($16) It was good. I personally liked it more than the tebasaki, but it might be because I am very used to the taste of the tebasaki since I've made similar ones at home. Gyudon ($15) It was good but nothing special. The price was good but felt more expensive than the other dishes we ordered. Imanishi Beef Curry ($15) Great fruity Japanese curry gravy. I loved it. I just wish they put more beef chunks as it was hard to find the chunks. Tokyo Toast ($9) This was definitely one of my favorite. I did not expect it to be that good. The toast was a bit crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, with a nice combination of icecream and the texture and taste of toasted soba. I found this place to be a very affordable place for the quality of food you get as well. I'm also glad that they were transparent about how many pieces comes with each dish. And how the server was telling us it might be too much food for us when we initially ordered, and explored food menu options that might be better for the first round of ordering. They were also very prompt in changing the dirty plates for us as well. read more

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There's been so much hype about this place, especially on Tiktok, so my expectations were sky high but I would say Imanishi managed to meet them. As soon as you walk in, you know you're in for a good meal. The decor is cute and cozy izakaya vibes, and it feels like you're sitting down to a homestyle Japanese meal. The menu is fantastic, as they have a wide variety of small share plates that include some great creativity. There weren't any bad bites, I'd say every single bite I had was at the very least good. All the ingredients (especially the sashimi) were high quality and were very thoughtfully put together. A few of my favourite bites included the hamachi sashimi, beef tataki, curry spring rolls, and most of all the gyudon which felt like a warm, cozy hug in every bite. Their famous corn tempura dish was good but also the only dish that could have obvious improvement with some sauce. For dessert, you have to try the tokyo toast which was a sweet deep fried toast topped with ice cream. Overall, this was a great meal from start to finish which was capped off by some great service. I'd definitely come back here. read more

Imanishi Japanese Kitchen - Corn kakiage - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Incredibly appalled at the service we received from DANA at Imanishi this evening. We arrived and were seated with great service from the bartender. We even received our first drink and dish, when Dana abruptly interfered and raised her voice that we were late and needed to leave. Devoid of any accountability that we were seated and had already put in our order, I apologized, however her tone of disciplinary action continued to a point that the couple next to us stepped in and offered us their seats seeing her aggression. She responded to this saying NO and persisted to usher my partner and I at the front of the restaurant and told us we had to wait to receive the rest of our dishes. No tact, no people skills and zero self awareness, she brought us their machine to settle up -- it was incredibly awkward. The other servers were in shock at her behaviour. The thing about the situation is that, we are PATRONS, and regardless of her inability to understand that we were seated and mid drink and bite, everything in life can be finessed with compassion and tact (two things which were absent from her this evening). Though I'd like to think she was having a bad day, i can't help but feel her poor behaviour deserves larger visibility and that the restaurants ownership become aware that she is incapable of managing. Needless to say, I will be openly sharing this opinion with my network moving forward. read more

This is a tapas-style Japanese restaurant on Dundas West with great food and a cozy, laid back vibe. You basically have no choice but to make a reso, so be sure to do so online before you visit or you'll be waiting hours for a table. I had the Kuchibeni drink; while it's a pretty small cocktail, the flavour is really nice and sweet. We had a number of apps - the corn, eggplant, pickles, sashimi, and tofu salad. My favourites were the corn and tofu; the corn was a nice crunchy snack and the tofu salad was fresh and light. I'd suggest only trying the eggplant if you're with a group of 3+, for only 2 it's quite a lot. My friend and I ended up leaving half the dish untouched. For my entree, I tried the Gyudon. I think it's pretty similar to other dons I've had - their apps are so inventive that this in comparison is quite regular. Lastly, I tried the Tokyo Toast and it was my favourite dish of the night. The toast is perfectly sweet, the toasted soba adds a nice crunch, and the ube ice cream is a great pairing to top it off. 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Amazing! My boyfriend took me to imanishi for my birthday. I've been wanting to visit this hole in the wall restaurant for quite some time after I learned about the Tokyo toast. Very reasonably priced our bill came out to $90. We ordered 5 dishes, plus a dessert and left stuffed. We ordered the corn karage, gajlan gomaae (broccolini), prawn and cilantro salad, tebasaki (wings) and the imanishi curry. All dishes were amazing! Well portioned for the price. The broccolini was my favourite, so much so that I was eating the sauce out of the bowl on its own. My boyfriend loved the prawn and cilantro salad, super fresh and a very unique dish. The corn karage was melt in your mouth perfection! Slightly sweet, a little salty and crisp. The imanishi curry was delicious and so were the wings. Our dessert was delicious, a little sweet for my liking and very well priced. It reminded me of a churro/ funnel cake. Overall I would highly recommend! read more

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I came to Imanishi on a Friday night at 9pm. Until 10pm, they only accommodate reservations so I had to wait an hour to be seated. During that time I went to another bar down the street. I came back at 10pm and was seated almost immediately. The seating was communal and my party of two shared a table with another party of two. No big deal. The restaurant had a cozy, casual vibe, with warm lighting and good music. By 10pm they were out of the sashimi, so we ordered the corn karage and beef tataki. Both were so delicious. I would recommend trying these dishes. I would come back again with a reservation so I could be seated earlier! read more

Imanishi Japanese Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Everything was delicious at Imanishi; it had me wishing that I had more space in my stomach to try some of their other dishes. We ordered Monkfish Liver Pâté, Tofu and Mizuna, Saba Miso-Ni, Gyudon, and Tokyo Toast. Everything pictured I would definitely order again, and I enjoyed the other two dishes as well. The service was friendly and quick; we did not have to wait long for the food and our glasses were often filled with water. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the interior because it has a very cosy feeling to it. I would definitely return to try some of the other menu items! read more

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food regret is the worst regret, but that didn't happen to me this day bc I ordered allll of it. I originally came here after dinner only for the Tokyo toast but ended up ordering a whole meal cuz how could I not? I would say the saba miso-ni was my favorite dish and definitely merits me to come back just for that. It was umami-ful and tender with just the perfect mackerel. The ribs were really tender and came with a rich and slightly tangy sauce which would matchwell with rice. the prawn and cilantro salad was very tasty but I can't justify ordering it again as it's a similar price to their meat dishes, which I enjoyed slightly more all in all, the one Tokyo Toast I trekked here for did not let me down . It's reminiscent of a lighter HK french toast with 2 scoops of ice cream on top. I would come back for it and that miso saba any day and die on that hill. read more

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Food: 4/5 izakaya style portions for sure but the prices are very reasonable, especially by Toronto standards. I've been here a few times now and the corn kariage always ends up getting ordered again throughout the night! Such a perfect balance of crispy sweet and savoury! The beef tataki was also a hit as well as the pork skewers, which I personally found a bit too sweet and saucy but others loved it. The monkfish liver pate was fantastic! We were hesitant to order this at first but ended up devouring it in seconds. Reminds me of a banh mi without all the vegetables. Definitely recommend trying this one. Honestly, nearly everything on the menu is worth trying, especially in a big group, there will definitely be at least a few ppl that like each dish. Tokyo toast is a must order every time!! Some compare it to Sunny's HK toast, I would say the Tokyo toast here offers more texture and crispiness whereas Sunny's offers a more heartwarming dessert. Both are fantastic. Overall, I wouldn't say the food here is life changing, but it's definitely tasty and worth a try. Especially if you love to try a lot of different dishes, this is definitely the perfect spot to come with a group and order half the menu to explore! Service: 4/5 super nice staff but as it's definitely a busy place at night, it's hard to track the servers down. However, they were all very knowledgeable about the menu and answered any questions we had with detail and patience. Atmosphere: 2/5 The moody lighting this establishment is going for goes beyond the dim mysterious vibe of an izakaya place. It is crazy crazy dark in here. tables are lit up with the two small candles and it's honestly so difficult to read the menu and take photos. We were constantly using our phone flashlight throughout the night. It's also incredibly loud, and despite the tables being decently spread apart, we found ourselves having to yell to hear each other. read more

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Really excellent food and flavours! On the expensive side but overall cozy, delicious, and highly recommended.

i've been seeing this restaurant all over instagram and tiktok from my local foodie friends and other influencers, so i was super excited to try Imanishi and went on my birthday. the restaurant is small, with bar seating and limited table spots. the vibe is more romantic with the lights off and candles at each table. my server was very kind and attentive, but the one taking reservations and incoming customers seemed more on the careless side. Onto the food, the first three dishes we got were great. The monk fish liver pate, corn kakiage and tai carpaccio were excellent. I still think about the pate and bread since they were just that good however, the rest of the dishes we got fell short. Maybe it was our fault for not ordering the right things (again, the first three dishes were good) but the nagoya ramen and karashi ribs did not do it for me. The ramen was fine, but it tasted like something you can make with an instant pack at home... nothing impressive. The ribs were very tender and fell right off the bone, but were super salty and the mustard was too overpowering. Now for the dessert - everyone raves about the toast, how it's the best they've ever had, and how they'll return here just for the toast, but I found the toast mid at best. The toast is quite literally deep fried japanese milk bread.... with some T&T taro ice cream on top. I don't know which influencers hyped this up so much but i'm here to de-influence you... your local hong kong cafe has better toast than this, trust me. I'll give the toast some points for not being too sweet but again it was just bread with ice cream with a hint of nutty flavour. Although my meal didn't go as planned, I'm still glad I visited this restaurant and was able to try it and share my thoughts. If you are to visit, i'd def recommend the tai carpaccio and monk fish liver pate. read more

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Great little spot for casual authentic Japanese food. We sat at the bar. It gets busy so make sure you make reservations. We started off with the Dai Dai Orange cocktail and yuzu beer. I really enjoyed the beer as it paired well with everything. The monkfish pate is a must , we had extra pate left and our server suggested taro chips which paired really well. Everything is delish. My favourite was the Tokyo toast (SO good, if you like taro you're in for a treat) then monkfish liver, corn, carpaccio. I would skip on the wings , i expected it to be sweeter and stickier like Nagoya style. Overall I had a really good experience and I would come back to try the other items on the menu. read more

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Always wonderful. Friendly and professional staff make us feel welcomed. Every dish is amazing. Don't miss the hamachi. We love to sit at the bar. read more

food was amazing, dessert is a must have. It can feel a bit packed during peak hours but ambiance and service were amazing

We came here for date night on a weekday at 8 pm and waited 15 minutes for a table at the bar. We ordered sashimi, fish jerky, baguette with monkfish liver, ebi fry, ramen, beef curry, and two drinks. Sashimi - scallops, red snapper, and hamachi. It was fresh and melted in your mouth. Fish jerky - which was my favourite. It tasted like dried squid snacks. It was sweet, lightly salty, and well-marinated. Monkfish liver is also known as the foie gras of the sea and a Japanese delicacy. We enjoyed how well toasted the baguette was - still soft with a crispy edge, and how subtle the flavour of the pate. Each ebi fry piece was bigger than we expected. It was shrimp tempura, but each shrimp was fried perfectly. Nagoya ramen - spicy chicken broth; we'd rate it moderate on the spicy level. The ramen noodles were very nice. Beef curry - chicken and beef stock curry on rice was good. To end it off, we ordered a Tokyo toast, milk bread deep fried in sugar with ice cream on top. Honestly, I could have eaten seconds of this because it was one of the best dessert toasts I've had. We had a great experience at Imanishi and left full. Service was quick and courteous, and the staff was well-knowledgeable and recommended great dishes and drinks. read more

My partner decided to take me to this restaurant as a treat, and I was so pleasantly surprised! It was such a warm, intimate, and cozy vibe as soon as you walk in, and they had the best playlist - we even ended up Shazamming a song. We sat at the bar, which is always fun, and by the time we left, the place was packed behind us. Definitely book reservations in advance if you're with a larger group or want a table. There are tons of delicious shared plates on the menu, which obviously we tried, but my favourite was the black cod which was one of the specials for the night. All of the servers were friendly, attentive, and had great recommendations. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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A great spot with Japanese Tapas style meals that rocked! We had the corn tempura, chicken wing, ribs, spicy karrage, pork belly katsu, and Tokyo toast, I would recommend all of them! Portions are smaller so beware you might need multiple orders! read more

Love this place! It's a cute spot with small tables and stools. There's hangers on the side to hang up your jacket and/or bags. It's tapas style and I went with 3 friends so we pretty much got everything on the menu. The only dish we didn't absolutely love was the prawn and cilantro salad. It was mostly cilantro and not a whole lot else but the dressing still made it very tasty. I would definitely go back again and again! read more

Food was mediocre. 3/5. - The best dish was the ribs -- the meat was super soft but the sauce felt very American -- too sweet and thick for my liking. - The fried corn was unique and tasty. - The grilled mackerel was mediocre. I would have preferred a grilled cod but they don't offer it. - The sashimi special is said to have 3 pieces of 3 types of fish (bluefin tuna, scallop, hamachi), but the portions of each piece were so small it is almost like they took a piece of sashimi and cut it into three pieces. Definitely not worth it. I think Kinka's sashimi and food is way better quality and taste and flavor than Imanishi. - dessert: they only had one dessert option which was ice cream on Japanese toast. It was enjoyable to eat. Service: 2/5 - the server asked us multiple times if we wanted drinks -- so they do pressure you in a way to order alcohol. - we went on a Friday night so our waiter was always busy and it took a while to get his attention. (Note: inattentive) - in the end, even though we finished our food but didn't ask for the bill yet, the waiter gave us our bill already. That is quite rude and we saw them do the same to the table next to us as well. I might expect this at a lower end restaurant or we sat for too long (we were there for only less than one hour). So unless you keep ordering alcohol I think you are just going to get the boot as soon as you finish eating. Not fine dining at all. Oh and this restaurant has the default tip percentage set at 20%. Ambiance: 4/5 - good intimate date place if you are focused on getting a drink here. Food is just mediocre so don't expect too much. Overall: - come here for the drinks and ambiance only if you really want to. - if you want to go to a good Japanese izakaya restaurant then I will recommend Kinka izakaya - if you want a Japanese restaurant with sake and food-- then even Sakai Bar has better food (but service is just as bad imo). - read more

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Food was great! Very innovative & unique with reasonable price points. This place is always booked up so i highly suggest reservations. I went last Saturday (june 3) at 530 sharp when they opened to get a walk in spot. The seating & dining service was great, attentive & friendly. I would have rated this much higher but unfortunately the hostess was rude to my mom & I and it made it a very unpleasant experience. My mom stood in line first for a seat while i arrived shortly after to join her - someone else joined the line after & the customer was kind enough to express to the hostess to serve us first since my mom was next in line. The hostess immediately shut us off & said "oh they are busy discussing i will serve you first". Totally disrespectful & disregarded us without even speaking to me.. when we left the restaurant she watched us leave & she made no contact with us once again nor any goodbye remarks. Not that i needed her to say anything, but it was evident she did not want to acknowledge us as customers & was explicitly displaying rude demeanor read more

Imanishi Japanese Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So consistent, so good. I've been 5 times in total and never disappoints. Cool looking spot/vibe, great service and amazing food. Curry spring rolls, hamachi shashimi, beef tataki, yuzu karaage, anchovy potato salad, and last but not least the curry...so good! (lol we were hungry) Also, all their sake is solid. Highly recommend as a top resto in Toronto! read more

....and years later, I returned. This time, the proper signage is up. Food is still delicious, still in small tapas size, and the prices still kinda on the steep side for some dishes. Service was imaculate as the server kept coming back to make sure we were ok and to see if we wanted to order more. The only thing is that the tables near the kitchen was packed so near each other that you would need to be thin to step side way to get to the seat of the table by the wall. Sadly I didn't like the thought of someone's butt touching my glass of water by the edge of the table. But that's just me. But the food did taste yummy. read more

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This review will be mainly about the terrible service we received this dinner. I had been wanting to come to Imanishi for years now after hearing how amazing everything was - the food, the vibes, the atmosphere. I was super excited and had high expectations. I booked a reservation for 7:00pm. I quickly locked into the menu and decided everything I wanted to order - drinks, food, and dessert all ready to go. Our waiter came to us, offered to let us know about the sake specials. I said you can tell us but we already know what we want - he quickly said okay and took our order. We also gave our order for the food, and I had requested the appetizers come at the same time and the mains to come at the same time (since theres limited table space). Its 7:30pm, our pickles and corn fritters come out... no cocktails in sight.... ok cool. Thankfully they came about 5 minutes later (still odd in my head, usually drinks come first). While we enjoyed our starters, a new couple sat at the table next to us (this is about 7:40pm). We waited... it was about 8:15pm at this point and no sign of any new foods coming to our table. However, the tables all around us were getting their food no problem, including the table beside us who got seated way after us and ordered similar dishes. So... why did they get theirs and we didn't get anything? I'm not one to say anything, but I had to at this point. It was around 8:25pm, we had been at the restaurant since 7:00pm and how are there still not entrees for us? When I asked our waiter for an update on our food, he claimed "its coming, dont' worry" in a condescending way. Like as if I had asked multiple times about when our food would arrive (even thought I only asked that one time). Immediately after I asked, our food started coming out. Funny I had to REMIND our waiter that we had ordered food and THEN it starts coming out. I was annoyed but hungry so we ate in silence. 10 minutes pass its about 8:40pm, the same waiter comes to the table and says "we will need the table by 9, do you want to order any more food?" EXCUSE ME??? I have to rush my dinner now because YOU forgot about our main dishes and made us wait an hour for them? We quickly finished our food and told him to bring the dessert since we only had about 10 minutes to finish. Once the bill came and I went to pay, the only tip options were 20% and 22% - absolutely not. There were no apologies given about the wait, no remorse about anything. This makes me feel like this type of service and long wait times are normal, but it was my first time here so I have no idea (I didn't read anything negative about this spot). There was no warmth from our server at all throughout the evening - not while we were eating, not when we were leaving, nothing. I left the restaurant that night feeling so bummed and disappointed. How can a restaurant with such rave reviews leave me feeling so uncomfortable? I definitely won't be back here for a long while (not to mention how expensive it is for small portions... I'm very much not used to that). To end on a positive note, the food was really good and tasty. Quality was really fresh and good quality. I'd recommend the corn fritters, red snapper carpaccio, and the tokyo toast of course. Drinks were meh, I couldve skipped those. I really hope this customer service issue gets resolved because I would really want to come back here but I'm afraid we will be forgotten again and receive this poor service once more. read more

What a mind blowing experience. It's a small restaurant and has a fun aesthetic. You will walk by it so make sure you're checking your map. The sign outside doesn't match the restaurants name from what I'm remembering. Also keep in mind they'll only take reservations for four people or more. But it is so worth it go on a double date or take a bunch of friends this place is amazing. The staff was really friendly and knowledgable and great are describing the different dishes. They have such a great menu that's so diverse that we really felt like we need a bit of a tour guide to decide what to get. So many of the dishes had such interesting flavors, lots of umami and lots of things that I would never make so that's part of why I loved it so much. We had things from raw fish to fried corn (which was a fav) to fish liver pate (had no idea what it would be like but I loved it) to a variety of meats. Every time a dish with land we would all try it at our eyes would roll back into our heads and we would devour it. This is one of my new favourite restaurants. And I will be going back very soon and recommending it to all of my friends read more

Imanishi Japanese Kitchen - Tuna Tataki - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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My bf took me here on a date. The vintage Japan vibes were immaculate! Super busy but food came fast. Absolutely loved the Mackarel so tasty, the paté as well and the fried corn. 100% recommend their panko encrusted fried dessert with taro ice cream it was chefs kiss. Would come again! read more

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This is one of my favorite Japanese snack bars in Toronto and I was pleased to find out they had opened a little patio upfront. However upon arrival, I was surprised to find less than half their menu available that day even though I called a few times to change my reservation throughout the day and was not told of items being sold out or not being served at the moment. However what we did have was pretty good: 1. Prawn and cilantro salad: this was light and refreshing with lots of umami flavors and some added crunchiness from the almonds and fragrance from the cilantro 2. The chicken karaage: The flavor was nice however I wish it was fried a few minutes longer, or fried twice to make the skin more crispy 3. Karashi ribs: These pork ribs are smothered in a balsamic and karashi mustard sauce which I find to be good on the first bite but on the salty side afterwards 4. Sabamiso: this miso braised mackeral was super delicious as the miso was a great seasoning on the fish, the mackeral was perfectly cooked and tender 5. Sashimi mori: Usually 3 varieties of fish other than hamachi and scallops however they threw this together because we really wanted sashimi. Even though they aren't a sushi restaurant, their sashimi is always great quality and super fresh. I was super disappointed that my favorites were not available on this occasion: But if you guys pay them a visit be sure to order these: Ika Maruyaki: Grilled squid with Kewpie mayo Salty sweet corn kakiage: Crispy deep fried sweet corn * MUST TRY* Kawahagi: dried fish (similar to beef jerky) served with Kewpie mayo I'd usually give them a 5 but this experience only deserved a 4 read more

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We had a few items here: grilled squid, pickles and cold ramen special of the night. The food is ok. The squid was chewy and not marinated, just served with a wedge of lemon. The ramen had a lot of items including veggies, shrimp and crab meat in it. The atmosphere is casual, hipster the service was average. read more

Imanishi is by far one of my favourite restaurants in all of Toronto. Their food is incredible and representative of the Japanese flavours that run throughout this city. My favourite on the menu was the braised mackerel. The fish was flaky and juicy, and Miso flavours really stood out. Their Nagoya ramen is full of dangerously addictive spice and the Wagyu Gyudon is served in a sauce that is full of umami flavour. Their waitstaff is welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu which also features extensive drinks from the bar. Can't wait to try everything multiple times over! read more

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