I had dinner at Kabuku in Calgary recently after seeing reviews. I tried their scallop sashimi, Bay Scallop Roll, and Yellow Bullet J Roll. Unfortunately, the only thing that stood out was scallop sashimi as they were fresh and sweet. The Bay Scallop Roll was too oily and saucy, even with the orange...The Yellow Bullet Roll just felt like a regular roll...I'd give it 6.5/10 read more

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Kabuku is always busy and the sushi is always fresh. You need to make a reservation because it is a popular spot. I'm not as crazy about the cooked food as I am for the sushi and I'd give the cooked stuff 4 oo 5 but the sushi / sashimi 5 00 5. Great ambiance and service as well. I have never been left waiting for an extended period of time at Kabuku (although i see others appear to have had that experience). I have been coming here for about 5 years now. read more

My staff and I came here for lunch on a Wednesday super busy. If you don't have a flexible lunch period I don't recommend coming here because it did take 45 mins for all our food to come out and there was only 3 of us. The food was good. The rolls were disappointing none of us liked the rolls. Some of the sashimi had very Terrible thin crooked cuts. The sashimi was fresh which is why it got a 4 star rating and the shrimp was great! read more

KABUKU - a platter of sushi and rolls - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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The best sushi I've had in Alberta the portions are filling and the flavour is wonderful! Every bite of sushi is very well balanced and is properly made. The service is lovely. The staff takes care in making you feel very welcomed. We showed up with no reservation and no expectation as the website request a reservation to guarantee a table and we were treated so very well! Lovely ambiance with soft music perfect for talking and enjoying moments with guests! Can't wait to come back !!! read more

A friend of mine spent six months in Calgary, staying at the Westin across the street from ZEN. I understand that he was in here nearly every weekend and many week nights. So when he recommended that I give this place a try, I knew that it would be good. And he was right! Interesting specials and well prepared "edible art", I had the toro sashimi special and the toro maki roll special. And when my tummy still had room, an order of the volcano chicken finished me off. All of it was absolutely excellent quality sushi and cooked food. Draft Sapporo. Awesome! Sadly, no wifi and the Starbucks across the street wasn't broadcasting. You would never find this place if you didn't know it was here. They have a very plain entrance and not a lot of signage. read more

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Not the same variety of sushi as I'm used to, with lots of salmon rolls on the menu, but the service was quick and friendly, and what I did order (tuna nigiri, the Ninja roll, and Volcano roll) was awesome. The miso soup was full of tasty mushrooms of mixed variety, and fun and tasty mushrooms are always on my good list. Definitely recommend this place. read more

KABUKU - The most fragrant and mushroom-y miso I've ever had! - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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On this trip to Zen, I had an assortment of sashimi, spicy soup, and chocolate mousse. This place is consistently the best suishi place in Calgary. Its a little pricey by my Toronto standards. I like the quirky decor - mostly traditional asian with a few standout north american pieces. The server was great. She was quite chatty and offered good descriptions of the dessert menu. read more

The sushi was excellent. The service was very good and very prompt. The meal started with a hot towelette which won me over immediately. My dinner partner ordered sushi by the piece and I ordered the Shrimp & Tempura entree. We did not speak be uses the good was so good... we just kept eating. I had a glass of green tea and a Sapporo. Very impressed. Will eat there again before we leave. read more

KABUKU - Shrimp & Tempura Entree - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

#177 One of my rare downtown excursions turned out even better. Lunch with a new friend and trying out this restaurant that had been on my bucket list for some time. What a great first encounter. Around the corner from the Shell Centre and in the building with TD Bank, this little restaurant gets busy very quickly. We were here less than 15 minutes and it was already half full!! You need reservations for a table. The hosts are not as friendly as one would expect, hence the 1 star deduction though we were seated promptly. The server was pretty friendly and quick to take our order which was the sushi and sashimi (come with mushroom based miso soup and salad), kamikaze roll, and Alaska roll. All the fish (salmon sashimi, tuna sashimi, eel sashimi, etc.) were very fresh and the eel was uber delicieux! The Alaska roll was your typical California roll topped with smoked salmon (but still good). The kamikaze was very fresh with tuna and flakes on top of a roll. Both rolls were 8 pieces. The food came out very quickly. I will admit this place is priced higher than competing sushi restaurants in the area but it is a nice place and definitely for those people on a date or business venture. Go after 1800 to save on parking (and to also be able to easily find parking) but do yourself a favour, get a reservation! If you are single or think your date might not be that good, get a window seat to people watch. read more

Located near the Westin Hotel. Went their for lunch and it was quite full. We were able to get a table in the corner near the window. The attire for the female wait staff was different, but it made it interesting. We enjoyed the food there and would go back again. The staff was accommodating to our three year old - so that was a plus! Their crispy calamari was tasty along with the three different sauces! Sushi was good as well as the teriyaki chicken. read more

KABUKU - a plate of food with dipping sauces - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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By far the freshest and best portioned Sushi and Sashimi in downtown Calgary. If you are Gluten Free, they significantly accommodate in all ways possible for the safest dining experience. I have never once had an issue in the 8 years of eating here. The team. The owners. The staff, all make the time on the attention to detail and it shows in the final product that ends up on your table. read more

Just located across the Westin hotel, kabuku is a small Japanese restaurant that serves sushi, sashimi, and hot entrees / appetizers. Overall the service and the restaurant itself was fine. In fact, our server was quite enthusiastic and friendly during our dinner. However I found the food quite disappointing. The quality of the sushi was quite basic and prices were not necessarily great. read more

This would have been a 5 star, except the price. Wow, is it ever expensive there. The hubs and I came here as we wanted to check out a new sushi place. And we figured being downtown Saturday afternoon it wouldn't that busy. Which it wasn't. The sushi was fantastic. Nice thick white lines in the salmon and the miso soup has mushrooms it in. It was sooo good!!! Great service, not busy, no crazy lines like some places. Parking can be a nightmare due to area, but that is ok. read more

Went for a business lunch today at my fave restaurant, Zen 8. My guest and I ordered from the sushi list: - 2 orders of the green salad (delicious ginger dressing on fresh salad) - 4 Special Scallops Nigiri (my absolute favourite sushi) - 2 Unagi Nigiri (so fresh) - 6 pcs of Sashimi (big pieces of salmon) - 1 Spider Roll (really good!) - 1 Rainbow Roll (beautiful with salmon, ahi tuna and shrimp on the top of the roll. Dessert: - 1 Green Tea Ice cream with mango fruit (not bad) - 1 Bernard Callebaut Frozen chocolate mousse with a mixed berry sauce and caramelized banana (Really, really good on a huge platter) read more

Great sushi and sashimi, from the freshest most flavourful fish. The more adapted foods were a notch lower though. Overall a solid Japanese option in Calgary. read more

This is a fabulous sushi place in downtown Calgary. I placed a to-go order here when I was working late at the University of Alberta Calgary Centre a block away, and was super impressed with my experience. Even though it was dinnertime (6pm) on a weekday, my food was ready in 10 minutes. When I got to the restaurant, the staff helped me immediately. It looked so nice inside I wished I could stay to dine in! My seafood sashimi dinner was amazing and reasonably priced. I know if I lived in Calgary I'd be stopping by Zen on a regular basis. Can't wait until my next visit! read more

KABUKU - Delicious seafood sashimi to go! - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

So good. I fly to Calgary for business every few months and eat here every time. Friendly staff & nice relaxing atmosphere. It's definitely worth eating here. read more

You know you're hooked on Yelp when you make a date with a friend just to earn a badge. But that's exactly what I did with a fellow Yelper as we set out on a quest to earn the Sushi Sensei badge! Not only did we want to earn the badge, but we also wanted to be able to compare the restaurants like for like. We decided that an order of California rolls would be our staple in every restaurant and we would supplement that with an order of the restaurant's feature rolls. Now, you're probably thinking "that's a LOT of mayonnaise and fake crab". Well reader, read on, because although we risked OD-ing on mayonnaise and getting mercury poisoning, we came out with some great tips for anyone seeking sushi in Calgary's downtown area! Sushi Stop #4: ZEN Japanese Restaurant ZEN was a solid sushi stop. By the time we reached ZEN, our stomachs were bursting with rice, and mayonnaise poisoning seemed inevitable. But we pushed on and ordered one last order of California rolls. While they didn't blow my mind, they were solid California rolls. ZEN had solid sushi and good tea. The atmosphere was good. Not overly fancy, not overly basic or shabby. We were able to walk right into a table, which is a nice change from the busy lunch time crowds they usually get. Would I go back? Yeah, for sure. But I think I need a little sushi break first! Sushi Stop #1 was Sakana Grill - read my review here: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/sakana-grill-calgary#hrid:LJusrjLfGGSYo3xN-sN0XQ Sushi Stop #2 was Sushi Tokyo - read my review here: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/sushi-tokyo-calgary#hrid:HnewuxN6A-0UCAVO_vvBRA Sushi Stop #3 was Ki Modern Japanese - read my review here: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/ki-modern-japanese-bar-calgary#hrid:OXBHmi6H3kQ8QFEvvlfALQ -- L read more

I went on a weekday evening, later on. It was empty except for me. The service was really polite and pleasant. I had a rainbow roll and assorted nigiri. It wasn't very good. I've enjoyed this place in the past, but this time the fish was really salty, and the rice was not good, and it just all around wasn't what I would expect. read more

KABUKU - Rainbow roll and assorted nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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ZEN's mission statement is "To maintain respect while consistently providing top quality food and service" - and I'd have to say they definitely honor this. I've frequented this sushi place over the years and have always had a great experience - awesome fresh food, great atmosphere and service. My favorite appetizer is tied between the spicy scallops and prawns and the agedashi tofu. Their salmon sashimi is marbled perfectly and the volcano sauce used for the spicy tuna rolls is amazing! With quality does come price - it is a bit expensive here, a lunch can run from $30-$40 easily. But I think it's nice to treat yourself every once in a while - especially when it comes to delicious food :) read more

Very good and fresh sushi!,.. This is definitely my favorite sushi place in Calgary!!.. As they fly the fresh fish everyday it is very very fresh!!.. Everything I have had there is just delicious!!.. I haven't found a better place for sushi at the city yet!!.. Tip: as it is sooooo good, it is always busy, I would recommend to call for reservations.. Or make the reservation online.. read more

Really good place...the food, drinks and ambiance were all solid 9/10 sushi - really fresh and delish! I tried some apps, scallops and shrimps it was pretty darn good.. the dumplings were one of the best i have had in a very long time! do not miss ! the staff was friendly and provided excellent service. Uber Bang for the buck, in Calgary! read more

I'm always a big fan of solid service. And ZEN service at this moment is solid. The staff is friendly and helpful. Two examples to highlight this: Example #1, my colleagues and I are frequent travelers and when the host sees us walk in with all our coats and carry-on luggage, they offer to take them aside and hold it for us. That's service. Example #2, we sit down, the waitress comes over hands us hot towels. She smiles, and we chit chat about the menu. She's happy to be there. We're happy to be there. Life is good. The food is good, I think you're getting decent value for your buck here. And this place is vastly superior to the unmentionable place down the street from it. Will go back on a regular basis to fix my fish cravings. read more

We are giving it a 4 star, but my daughter feels it's a 4.5 star, piece wise a little expensive, but with it for my beautiful child. And we came away very full. read more

KABUKU - My expert judge of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I felt in the mood for sushi and this place was on my way home. I am happy that I stopped by. The kamikaze rolls were excellent and the ice cream dessert was yummy. I have been to upscale Japanese restaurants in Calgary (Towa) and prefer Zen for the price. read more

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Sushi...4 stars. The sushi here is pretty good. The top sirloin beef in the Alberta roll is buttery tender. The rice used in the rolls, however, is not as good as Ki's. I don't know if it's because of the purple rice they use, but it's just not as tender or pleasing to the mouth as the typical white rice variety. I've had many varieties of purple rice and they simply firm up faster than white rice when cooled or sitting around until being used...perhaps it's because they have a higher starch density and are best when used immediately. Tempura...5 stars. The star of this establishment! Regardless of which ingredient you chose, they are all perfectly prepared with a light and crunchy batter. Certainly some of the best I've had! Loved the tempura avocado!! read more

Went here for the first time a few weeks ago. There were three of us for dinner. The service wasn't very good, though I can't blame the waitress because she was definitely working hard to accommodate everyone on a very busy night. We ordered a variety of items off the menu including sushi, rolls, and tempura. The food was presented beautifully but everything had way too much sauce on top. I wasn't a fan. read more

Went there today with my bosses to say farewell - to me - because I'm moving to BC! Yay! It's pretty easy to get a res. Try to book a few days early if you can. You can book online, which is super easy and efficient. The place is usually pretty busy at lunch time and not too busy for dinner. I love the sushi here. It's so fresh and tasty. They always are featuring a special which is nice. I love sushi places that mix things up and create new rolls. Today's was like a dynamite roll but it had some tasty spicy sauce on the outside with wasabi powder and crunchy tempura flakes. Yum! Their sashimi is amazing. They have some really delicious items on their menu that cater to the non-sushi eater in your group (crazy non-sushi lovers!!!) The service is always really good and very friendly. I must admit their prices are a bit high for my liking but the quality of the food they serve well makes up for it. Sushi Lovers Unite!!! read more

I'm a fan of Zen. They have good service, great sushi and holy crap the salad dressing! You know that Japanese salad dressing that comes on pretty much all the salads in pretty much all the sushi places in town? You know how it's really good? Zen seriously has taken this dressing and done some sort of magic to it making it heavenly. I never thought I would be so impressed with leaves and sauce, but Zen has made me a believer. They are also exceptionally good at sushi. The fish is always fresh and succulent and the rolls vary from the normal California/spicy tuna/vegetable into Alberta rolls with smoked salmon, a yam tempura roll that is anything but ordinary and spider rolls that make you want to overeat. Zen is a great place to grab a sushi boat before you head out (or after you are done) shopping in the core or to catch a bite and some sake after work; and because everything is so fresh and delicious, you won't feel bad stuffing yourself silly, leaning back in your chair and ordering just one more salad and spider roll. T. read more

Great sushi in a cool restaurant. I popped in here one evening for dinner with a coworker and it was delicious. The rolls here are delicious and very well prepared. Everything we were served was fresh and did not lack for an appealing plating. It can get a little pricy, so if you're short on money you might want to skip this one. The price is worth it though! The servers are all friendly and polite and are helpful if you're trying to determine portion sizing. If you like sushi, you can't skip this place over. read more

Fish was fresh tho portions were small (friend was not happy w size of sashimi. He left hungry). Haha. Menu limited (especially for me who has shrimp allergy). Staff friendly. They have a second location in Aspen. read more

This place is great, and conveniently located in downtown. I walked in after having a craving for sushi and was immediately greeted by the friendly staff and lovely ambience ZEN has to offer. The staff were wonderful and my tai-out order was ready in a flash! I love the modern decor, it made me wish I had stayed to dine-in. I took my sushi to go and trained home and was pleasantly surprised with how fantastic and delicious it was. I'm not sure how busy this place is at lunch, but I'd love to make ZEN a more regular occurrence. It seems pretty trendy and despite other reviewers, I didn't find the prices to bad. I think I'll definitely be back! read more

KABUKU - Cali rolls to go! - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Definitely my favourite Japanese restaurant in Calgary. The food was tasty The servers were warm and welcoming The decorations were beautiful read more

Nice place! Service was great, very personable and courteous from start to finish. The restaurant is clean and fresh. Ordered the 10 piece nigiri sushi with miso soup w/ hot sake. Portion was perfect, nigiri and soup was great! From my experience I would recommend a visit. read more

KABUKU - 10 piece Nigiri Sushi w/ Miso soup & hot sake! - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

One of the better and affordable sushi places in the city! Love the personal chopsticks read more

Sushi was wonderful and substantial. Service very friendly and a great location. As a result have returned again the next day.

This restaurant is a bit on the expensive side. I find the portions are generous, so that may explain it. The food is really really good. The presentation of the sushi was awesome. Very beautiful. The service was good. The young lady who served our table was so nice and she had just the most beautiful smile. Truthfully, you can't really go wrong with this place. We had a nice time here and would love to come again. read more

Maybe I am spoilt by the delicious sushi in Vancouver, but I and husband found the food to be not impressive. The service was friendly and they had empty tables on friday night which was neat for us because it was a few blocs off the Westin. We had green tea which was good and I had dumplings in soup which were a bit too salty but nice otherwise. But, both the rolls we had, the spicy tuna and imitation crab, and the one with unagi were not very flavourful and the rice was hard and fell apart in a single poke. We also had few pieces of saba, which was okay. read more

Went to this downtown bustling place for lunch today and feel compelled to give a review. Not that the food was bad but I have worked in the service industry and our waitress needed a serious attitude adjustment or a happy pill. She was a pretty Asian girl with style but she should remember that attitude and manners go a long way in earning good money as a server. She was ok as far as service goes but barely smiled, was curt and when I came back after forgetting my doggie bag she did not so much as smile and say have a nice day after she retrieved it from the back. In fact she didn't even so much as give me some eye contact and a nod. I will point out it was busy but not slammed at this time and her pissy attitude was from the moment we arrived at 11:15 am when no one was there. I gave her a 10$ tip on 80$ bill but if she was a little smarter and friendlier she would have gotten much more. The economy is down and based on this experience I'll take my hard earned money to another restaurant next time because many people survive on their tips but it's not my obligation to just give them to someone who doesn't treat me like a guest in their restaurant. I'm sure the owners would not want guests to feel this way. read more

Location: right downtown, extremely busy during lunch rush during business days. Make reservation in advance or show up early. Will sell out. Food is above average priced and not sure if it is worth it. Sashimi was excellent both red tuna and wild sockeye. Had a kamikaze roll as well and I felt it was lacking some flavour. Everything had a nice fresh, clean taste but the roll just didn't have what I was looking for. Overall a good spot for a business lunch but probably better options to get some bang for your buck outside of the downtown core. read more