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    J-Town By The Sea

    3.6 (64 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

    J-Town By The Sea Photos

    Business Info

    J-TOWN BY THE SEA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Sashimi platter!
    Jen H.

    In the heart of J-Town, J-Town by the Sea has amazing fresh fish! Perfect for a family meal or even platters for big parties! Such nice cuts and really tasty. Highly recommend!

    Sushi set
    Cin C.

    This sushi and shashimi shop has more to offer than just food, as it is also a grocery store (you can buy actual wasabi) and houseware store. I was looking for a quick light lunch and picked up one of their prepared sushi boxes for around $15 after tax. It came with 8 pieces of shushi, some ginger and wasabi. The quality of the fish is obviously good, with the raw shrimp and the octopus being my favorite. Only complaint is that the rice was a little too wet in some places. Overall okay.

    Katie C.

    I love Japanese food and we are honestly so lucky to have so many authentic options in the GTA. I enjoy heading over to J-Town to pick up Japanese snacks, condiments, etc. and from time to time will grab food from J-Town By The Sea as well. Their menu has changed slightly over the years but when I come I usually get the rice bowl with salmon, ikura, and uni! Portion is definitely on the smaller side though so I find it's best for a lunch meal. If you are feeling extra hungry one bowl isn't going to be enough for you. Recently I was craving uni so I decided to pick up one of their uni trays - depending on the season they have uni from Vancouver, Boston, and Japan. I went for the Japan one ($$$) from Hokkaido. It was definitely a splurge and I likely wouldn't get it again just because I can't justify the cost but I very much enjoyed eating it at home with seaweed and rice.

    Sushi & Don
    Candy K.

    Takoyaki (octopus balls) and the salmon fried rice ($4.80) from the hot meals section are quite delicious. They went by fast so if you wanna get them, go there early. They do have a good variety of Sushi and Don (see my photos). However, while the fish in the the Hokkaido don ($13.80) we ordered seemed fresh, the rice was not. Some of the rice was hard and tasted as if it was leftover from yesterday (or it was actually made the same day but they have really poor quality control or they simply don't know how to make Japanese rice properly). Paid that amount for a sub-par quality Japanese food is what earned them 1 star. All the eateries at J-Town are usually of high quality. This place used to be really good. But the quality of food seemed to have gone way downhill. Not sure if it's the case but some said they have changed owners.

    Menu
    Danica C.

    I had a Sapporo Don lunch special ($13.8) - it came with a small snow crab leg, Extra crab meat, uni, fish roe. A soup and salad were included in the combo. The quality and freshness of the seafood was just okay; the snow crab meat was frozen, I believed, and made the rice very watery. The service was friendly and meal came quickly. I may come back for other lunch combo but not the Sapporo Don.

    Chirashi Bowl
    Clea C.

    Delicious chirashi bowl from J-Town by the sea! The seafood is super fresh and piled up high on the rice. It even has Uni on top!⁣ The portion isn't super big, but the price is only ~$17. It's located inside J-town, a shopping mall with multiple small shops that sells all sorts of Japanese goodies. ⁣

    Joyce L.

    Let's be honest. We live in Toronto. We are not near any ocean. We are in close proximity to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie (238 km). Our marine life is comprised of yellow perch, smelt, lake trout, bass and white fish. With this knowledge at hand, I have realistic expectations on sashimi available in Toronto. Seafood traveled a long way to arrive at our lovely city. I have always been a fan of J-Town By the Sea for as long as I remember. We often come by to pick up sashimi for key milestones: birthdays, graduations and career changes. The owner is always very kind. The seafood at J-Town By the Sea never disappoints; blue fin tuna toro, hamachi, sweet shrimp, uni, sockeye salmon, mockfish liver, sword fish, to name a few. You can find a good variety of Sashimi. Prices varies by weight. Ice is offered for Sashimi takeout. On a day I when want to treat myself, I will come by for chirashi don ($13.80) or an 8 piece sushi set ($13.80). Although the rice tastes like it has been refrigerated (which it has been), it is an ocean party in your mouth! Pro tip: Free mochi, If you post a picture of them on Instagram.

    Cod don
    Simone T.

    Full disclosure, I only tried the prepared food here, and I didn't buy any raw seafood from them. Put simply, the bowl came out piping hot, with abundant beautiful pieces of cod lining the bowl. The flavor was just right - that savory and sweet combination that you find at Japanese places. Not too overwhelming and not too understated. The sushi rice was nice and fluffy, absorbing some of the sauce and flavor. I was also pleasantly surprised that it came with miso soup and a side of small pickled salad. The takoyaki wasn't that good, though. Although it was supposed to be made to order, it came out lukewarm, and I didn't feel like the dough enveloping the octopus was up to snuff. There's a utensil and water station on the side, which I found very helpful and practical. Overall, would try lunch here again.

    Lunch #2 with cod (wild caught) katsu-don. Very fresh fish.
    Clement R.

    We came here for lunch as we wanted to pick up some yummy Japanese snacks since we are at J-Town. My girlfriend suggested that we come here to grab lunch as I have never had lunch here before. The decor of this place is along the lines of no thrill design: basic and functional. However we didn't come here to "eat" the decor and we wanted some fresh fish. I was looking at the menu and we decided to get the cod katsu-don. This came out not long after and I can smell the yummy aroma of the dish. We shared the fish and this was very fresh. I can taste the fish still even though there was batter on it. And the rice was just moist enough with the soya sauce. Price isn't bad too, cause for the price I paid is pretty decent for the quality and quantity of the food we got. We will come back to try other stuff.

    Jennifer K.

    A place I have always been dreaming of! J-Town By The Sea will probably be my to go place for anything Japanese and fresh from the sea! This place is just like a mini fish market in Japan! Lunch Special with a choice of 7 items till 2pm if you want a taste of well prepared cooked seafood or Sashimi. Kaisen Don ($10.80) was so so good. Nothing fancy but have this homey feel or something prepared with care! A mixture of cooked and raw seafood of what is fresh and available. There are also uni, eel and even exotic fish from Japan. Fresh or frozen seafood....Sashimi heaven! There is an small eat in area and you can eat from real bowl! I will be back! A grilled whole sea bream!

    Salmon Sashimi
    Jo-Anne L.

    Urgh. Asked for 15 pieces of salmon sashimi (while pointing to a slab of salmon in the display case), which they somehow misheard as salmon sushi. Waited for 15 minutes before they presented me with the sushi, which I then clarified was not what I ordered. Waited another 10 minutes while they looked confused, then pointed to the same slab of salmon I had been gesturing to and asked if I wanted it to be sliced. Oh, and waited 5 minutes after asking for ginger...and explaining what ginger is. By the way, this is what $20 worth of salmon sashimi looks like. It better be the best tasting sashimi I've ever had.

    Sashimi Menu
    Alina C.

    I love this Japanese supermarket/restaurant complex. They have everything from sushi, wagyu steaks, bakery, desserts, groceries, you name it. The food is amazing and fresh and the price is fair for what you get. I wish they stayed open a little later because 6:00pm is hard for people that finish work at 5:00pm and can't get there time because of traffic.

    Angela Y.

    My first time having uni that wasn't from a restaurant! I actually saw a sponsored ad on Instagram a tray of Boston uni for approx $35 (so cheap) and thought why can't we eat yummy during quarantine! It tasted delicious in homemade uni hand rolls and uni chirashi bowls! I'm not sure how fresh it was since on some there was this clear/white substance which might be naturally occurring and normal, but taste wise it was deelish!

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    Good Catch Boil House - AAA Sirloin steak with spaghetti in black pepper sauce, and 1lb of Honey garlic wings (comes with fries!)

    Good Catch Boil House

    3.7(481 reviews)
    4.2 kmUnionville
    $$

    It's been a long time since I went here again, and the first time after they renovated the…read morebar/restaurant. I arrived on a cold morning. Despite seated near the door, it was well insulated and I never felt cold. The seating is still bar-like, with metal chairs over something more comfortable. The menu offers both HK-style cafe dishes and western seafood-oriented dishes. Staff appears to understand limited Chinese, and they double checked what our group ordered for drinks. I decided to go for the baked seafood spaghetti with cold Dutch tea (both hot and cold drinks are at the same price!). The presentation was a bit messy but flavourful. I wish the staff gave extra plate for me to place the empty oyster and clam shell rather than pushing them to the edge of my plate. The staff never gave us any water until we asked. The good thing is, they never rushed us to pay and our group chatted for a long time. Price wise, it was excellent. Service wise, could be improved.

    Hmmm where do I start?…read more The waiter seemed great but clueless. He didn't really know how to take an alcoholic drink order. He didn't know the flavour differences in each of the sauces for the boil. Seems like you just have to know what you want and order it. They seemed short staffed there. Getting anyone's attention was difficult. We got a pound of the shrimp and a pound of clams. Nothing to rave about. Not amazing but not horrible. The sauce seemed one dimensional and flat. For this type of meal, I want a flavour explosion but Good Catch fell short. Not sure if this is the place I'd hit again if I wanted a mean seafood boil.

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    Good Catch Boil House - Restaurant

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    Good Catch Boil House - Cold sliced butter pineapple bun: Ball-Law-Yau (BLY). Very good ^_^  #yelpelite

    Cold sliced butter pineapple bun: Ball-Law-Yau (BLY). Very good ^_^ #yelpelite

    Good Catch Boil House - Curry beef brisket, bbq pork with eggs, Swedish pork fry instant noodle

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    I'm A Little Hot Crab - Free ice cream with strawberry flavored bits

    I'm A Little Hot Crab

    4.4(39 reviews)
    3.8 kmMilliken, Scarborough

    We went on the waitlist around 8:20 PM and didn't get seated until close to 10 PM, but it was…read moreunderstandable since it was a very busy Friday night. The restaurant is a decent size with a cozy and relaxing ambiance. We ordered some of the most popular dishes, and everything that came out was absolutely delicious. Every dish had its own unique flavour and taste. There was a small mix-up with our order when one of the staff accidentally brought us tofu shrimp instead of the fried rice we ordered. Amy, one of the servers/managers, handled the situation so professionally. Even though it was already last call and the kitchen was closing, she was able to have the correct dish remade for us. She sincerely apologized for the mistake and even gave us a complimentary plum drink along with some butter cranberry cookies. Amy provided exceptional customer service and was absolutely awesome throughout the experience. Despite the long wait, the food and service made it worth it. I would definitely recommend this place and will for sure be coming back!

    I'm A Little Hot Crab earns its queue. The Singapore chilli crab arrives swimming in a vivid,…read moreglossy sauce -- boldly spiced, subtly sweet, with just enough heat to keep you reaching back in. The crab itself is meaty and fresh, and the bread for dipping makes the sauce the meal's most dangerous feature. Gloves provided; dignity optional. The room is casual, the service attentive and good-humoured. They get busy, so come early or on a weekday. By all accounts from fellow diners, the black pepper and salted egg yolk preparations are equally worth the trip back. I'll be taking their word for it -- soon.

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    I'm A Little Hot Crab - Inside

    Inside

    I'm A Little Hot Crab - Crispy Cereal Tiger Prawn

    Crispy Cereal Tiger Prawn

    I'm A Little Hot Crab - Cereal prawns

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    Star Lobster Seafood Market - As of Jan 2024

    Star Lobster Seafood Market

    3.9(19 reviews)
    4.6 kmMilliken, Scarborough
    $$

    Saw quite a bit of ads from social media and decided to check this out. Totally disappointed with…read moreit... A run-down and overly-priced seafood market. Water tanks were not too appealing. Lobsters were mainly in coma. ;) The floor was wet and slippery as you walked in. With this pricing, you can easily find a lot of good choices in Scarborough better than this, even from other Asian markets that carry seafood these days. Not recommended.

    Was looking for a lobster for Thanksgiving dinner…read more Once in the store, we were surrounded by all the different tanks full or live lobsters - I had no idea what I was supposed to do first. What size should I buy for two? What is the best one for simple steaming? Where is what I am looking for? What is the difference among these different tanks? A gentleman who was working here caught me and answered all these questions, and located a perfect size, super lively lobster suitable for steaming! He was knowledgeable about different cooking options, and as soon as he knows we are Japanese, he showed me different sashimi grade seafood and handling tips. We bought - A live lobster (1.5lb) about $30 - 6 sashimi grade shrimps $ less than 10 He was so kind to make sure all the shrimps are the same size. Sashimi was beautiful, fresh and naturally sweet, melt on the tongue. I deep-fried the shrimp head and tail as the gentleman suggested - crispy, thin! And lobster was full of meat, juicy and perfect size for two of us. Full! Yum!! Cant wait to go back again!!!!

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    Star Lobster Seafood Market - As of Jan 2024

    As of Jan 2024

    Star Lobster Seafood Market
    Star Lobster Seafood Market

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    Watercolour Restaurant - CHICKEN MARBELLA $42 roasted chicken + chorizo + peppers + olives + onions + confit garlic

    Watercolour Restaurant

    4.5(93 reviews)
    6.3 kmUnionville Mainstreet, Unionville
    $$$$

    The restaurant was quite busy when we arrived, but service was impressively quick and genuinely…read morefriendly, which immediately made the experience feel welcoming. The carpaccio was fine, pleasant but fairly straightforward, but everything else we ordered was excellent The octopus was tender, and hearty, paired nicely with potatoes, hummus, some greens, and capers. It was well-balanced and satisfying without feeling heavy. The steak came out a perfect medium-rare and juicy. The nut topping on the fish added a really nice crunch, contrasting beautifully with the soft, tender flesh of the fish. And then there was the duck: the clear standout of the night. It was beautifully cooked and seasoned. The fat kept it incredibly juicy without feeling greasy. The charred cabbage on the side added a subtle smokiness that tied everything together perfectly. Every bite honestly made me happier and happier. Getting to the restaurant was a little confusing at first, but once you're there, it's absolutely worth it. A really enjoyable meal overall, and especially memorable for that duck dish. Definitely a place I'd return to.

    Visited this restaurant on mother's day for a lovely lunch :)…read more What we ordered: Zucchini chips: ($27) 8.5/10 I've never had zucchini chips before, they were perfectly fried, light, and went well with the tzatziki. I feel like there could've been more zucchini for the price point Peppercorn steak: ($78) 8.5/10 Very tender and well-cooked steak. I couldn't really taste much of a peppercorn flavor in the sauce though. I prefer my steak on the saltier side so I asked for some salt and they gave me a small bowl of flakey sea salt (my favourite!). Lobster roll ($48): 9/10 I've never had avocado in a lobster roll before, and the flavours & textures actually worked really well together! The lobster tasted fresh and sweet. The fries were crispy and plentiful. This spot is on the pricier side, but the quality of the food, service, and ambiance is reflected in the price.

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    Watercolour Restaurant - Upper level seating

    Upper level seating

    Watercolour Restaurant - Lamb chops

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    Watercolour Restaurant - SEAFOOD RISOTTO $68 market seafood + arborio rice + light seafood & tomato broth

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    SEAFOOD RISOTTO $68 market seafood + arborio rice + light seafood & tomato broth

    Anju

    Anju

    4.2(31 reviews)
    0.9 km

    I feel like Soy Marinated Crabs have really made their way to my feed lately. And luckily Anju is…read moreone of the few places currently doing it in the GTA! Though that isn't my favourite menu item, that would be the boiled pork belly with the most delicious savoury scallion salad accompanying it. I really like this place. It feels simple, the ambience is causal, the service is quick, and most importantly the food is really deliciously seasoned. The price is reasonable for a mid-range restaurant. Typing this made my mouth water again. Gonna need to make another trip soon.

    My friends and I came on Sunday evening. My initial feeling about Anju was that it had bar-like…read morevibes, where it is louder than a typical sit down restaurant but everyone seemed to be having a good time with friends. It's well decorated and fun, but not super tacky/hipster-y or anything. For the food, my friends and I ordered 5 things and shared amongst the 3 of us. I didn't try the Fried Dumplings or Beef Bulgogi, but my friends seemed to enjoy them both! Beef Bone Kulgooksu (5/5) The broth was amazing and super comforting! The noodles were nice and chewy, and it felt like a pretty big portion and definitely worth a try. Soy Sauce Fried Chicken with Rice Cakes (4/5) There were really not that many rice cakes, but the chicken was excellent with a nice crispy outside that's not overly coated in batter. Boiled Pork Belly with Green Onion (4/5) The pork belly was pretty juicy and fell apart nicely, although the strips of meat were thinner so some pieces felt a bit more dry/overcooked than others. The green onion blends well flavour-wise and was not over-powering! Something to note is that this place is definitely understaffed, with only 2 people working the floor. My friends and I had waited a decent amount of time (~15-20min) despite there being empty tables as 4-5 groups of tables left after we arrived, and the tables had been cleared and wiped down and set. We had been at the top of the waitlist, and unfortunately we were heavily discounted that another group that arrived later than us had gotten seated before us and another couple who had already been waiting a while (maybe because they had a larger party?). At the end of the meal, we had to ask for the bill and takeout containers twice because they forgot the first time, and therefore spent 10-15 minutes waiting/trying to get a waiter's attention. Overall, I would say that it was not a terrible experience, but I don't know how I would feel coming back with a small group again

    Photos
    Anju
    Anju - Soy sauce crab

    Soy sauce crab

    Anju - Yook hwe - korean steak tartare

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    Yook hwe - korean steak tartare

    J-Town By The Sea - japanese - Updated May 2026

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