It's amazing what you can see when you take a step back to see where you've been, where you are, and where you want to go. I'll never permanently live where it gets cold, where I can't legally own an AR-15, where I can't smoke weed along side edibles, and where there isn't a ranked bougie as fuck foodie scene. When I travel it's a passion to spend hours selecting the feasts from the top craftsman I can find at the destination. When I was planning Rails World Conference 2024 in Toronto I found the legendary TWO Michelin Star @sushimasakisaito. I had to stay up over night to lock in a ticket. Yes, I take this shit seriously. What unfolded was one of the top five experiences I've ever had feasting. The menu? Exquisite. Just like Per Se in Manhattan I loved how they gave you a linen copy as you left. Not only does it save me time typing this, but I can plan dates at home sourcing the exotic fish I sampled. Now I could eat sushi every day of the week. Everything here blew my mind, I could list every item, which is very rare. They laughed when the specialty $100/melons came out and my white ass knew exactly what they were. I wanted to take one home! His rice and charcoal cooking techniques also blew my mind. I kept saying "fuck me" after every bite. It was better than sex with a few of my past partners. The details? If you know me, being an architect was a dream of mine as a child. I truly appreciate when the esthetics of a location are dialed in. Every aspect. Not cheap. Authentic. The ambiance here was unmatched. I got a laugh how the staff organized my chop sticks after I put them down the wrong way. Just like I learned where the G-Spot was the first time I listened. They smiled when I got it right after the 2nd attempt. Engineers solve problems. The booze? I had two partial bottles of sake to accompany my journey to never never land. Both blew my mind. Both $$$$ I loved selecting the cups too. I selected the vessels I felt Jesus would have chosen. Join me at Rails World 2025! I'll book us the spot! read more

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Overrated. We love Japanese omasaki, but $750 per person is insane. Never again. There are Omasaki spots just as tasty for $200.

I treated myself out to Saito for my birthday. it was such a lovely experience - I'm so glad I got to experience this. service was amazing - it felt very intimate and really was top notch. the highlight was of course, the food. everything was so fresh and unique. this place is definitely a must try for all omakase lovers! quality and service is at the top - they definitely do deserve the 2 star Michelin. read more

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MICHELIN-STARRED ARROGANCE AND ABSOLUTE INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS GUESTS This is the worst 'premium' service experience in Toronto. If you are planning a significant celebration here - forget it. This restaurant simply does not care about you. My birthday is tomorrow. Today, they cancelled my reservation because 'the fish didn't fly in' due to the snow. We are in Canada, people - it snows here; that is no excuse to ruin someone's plans. But forget the fish. The most disgusting part is the staff's attitude. We tried to reason with them, asked to reschedule for at least next week, and searched for any compromise. Their only response: 'We don't care, take February 17th' (three weeks away!). Suggesting that a birthday celebrant marks their day nearly a month late is not service - it's a slap in the face. They have zero empathy, zero flexibility, and zero basic respect. They act as if they are doing you a favor just by speaking to you. A Michelin star should represent hospitality, not just food. What we found here was cold, arrogant indifference and organizational incompetence. You are just a line in their spreadsheet that they deleted and forgot. They ruined my celebration and didn't even bother to try and meet us halfway. A total disgrace and pure amateurism hidden behind a facade of prestige. read more

At $680 per person, dining at Masaki Saito is a special occasion affair where you're paying a premium for these elements: Their fish is flown in from Japan twice a week on a direct flight for maximum freshness. It's interesting a direct flight is required given so much of their ingredients are aged before consumption. Presumably, having the fish aged in kelp or hung is very different than sitting packed in ice. Rice, being the cornerstone of sushi, is equally if not more important. Saito buys award winning rice from the Nikka prefecture from a supplier that exclusively sells to them in Canada. You can taste the difference: the rice is sticky but also fluffy so that you can feel each grain as you bite through it. Mixed with a blend of five red vinegars, the rice takes on a brown hue that's unlike other sushi I've sampled. Condiments are also made in-house, their ginger takes a week to develop and uses bamboo ginger so that it's really crisp, fresh, and not overly pungent. Even the wasabi is enhanced by having the chef chop to the group wasabi root to make a really smooth paste. You're paying for the décor, including the sushi counter made from 200-year old Hinoki wood imported from Japan. Sadly, their roof collapsed during COVID, so parts of the bar are damaged, but it still has a lovely, reclaimed wood look. Their wood cabinetry was also made by craftsmen in Japan to make you feel like you're dining in Edo. Rest assured, despite being over a 2-hour dinner, you'll be comfortable on the oversized plush bar stools. The design of the sushi bar is well thought out with an under-counter shelf to store purses and a raised marble ledge that acts as a footrest. You don't even need to reach for the dishes as Chef Saito places them down, a server quickly whisks it from the bar and transfers it in front of you. Ultimately, you're paying for Masaki Saito who is there the whole time, preparing and serving the courses. No step is below him from grinding the wasabi to mixing the vinegar into the sushi rice (a technique that's taken him ten years to perfect). This is a long review head to Gastroworld for the entire experience. read more

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I've been hearing about this place and was excited to check it out! The high end sushi scene in Toronto definitely needs to grow. A couple days prior to our dinner, we got a text saying that chef Saito had an emergency and his sous chef would be replacing him for our meal. They gave us the option to continue with our reservation at 50% off or they could rebook us for a different day at 50% off at well. We decided to continue with the reservation due to our schedules. You'll have no trouble finding the restaurant because the staff will be outside in beautiful yukata to greet you. They led us into this tea room with tatami to wait in. After, we were led to the sushi counter which has the smoothest wood. I thought the restaurant was decorated pretty typically for a high end omakase place like those in NYC - so it's gorgeous. Also, I loved the bathrooms which were also gorgeous. Every time I had to use the bathroom, one of the staff would escort me upstairs and basically send me directly in while bowing. So the service was really great. The food is amazing and the staff were super prompt with taking dishes away and topping up water. My favourites were the toro with truffle, salmon sushi, akami and otoro. I typically find otoro that's not aburi style too fatty for me but this one was a great balance. Also the truffle was so flavourful that it took my mouth on a journey. The sushi portions were also quite big. Those cuts were thicc. I'm not sure if it was because they were making up for Chef Saito not being there but I hope it is typically like that. Is it worth it? It's basically $800 per person after tax. That's like almost Masa level prices (which is a 3 Michelin sushi from NYC). For my 50% off experience, it is definitely worth it but that's unlikely to happen again. For full price, I don't know if any meal is worth $800. However, I will say, this is the only place in Toronto that you will get Michelin quality omakase. I wouldn't be surprised if they get a star when the guide comes out in the Fall. If you want a similar experience, you would have to fly to NYC or SF. As a result, they can charge these high prices because there's no competition in Toronto on this level. read more

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If you live sushi, Masaki Saito is the place to hit In Toronto. That said, this super tine establishment will likely be filled all the time now that it's got a 2-star Michelin rating. We had a catered event in the space below with sushi from Masaki Saito and it was incredible. Larger quantities of sone of their standard sushi menu items were served and legit some of the best sushi of my life. I can't wait to come back for a full dinner experience in the dining room. read more

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I went into Sushi Masaki Saito with very high expectations. This is the highest Michelin-rated restaurant in Toronto (2*) and I adore traditional Edomae-style sushi -- I'm not a rolls person: I like to focus on the quality of the fish and accompanying ingredients. I enjoy the thought that goes into it dining in Japan, or at the best places outside of the country. Hawaii's got some good spots. I had a great experience when I finally went to Masa in NYC. So how does Chef Masaki Saito's small restaurant stack-up? Perfectly. It's its own unique brand of experience, entirely thanks to Chef Masaki Saito: he is always going to be your chef. They have only 11 seats in this restaurant and split them in half for the two evening seatings so the chef can be the one to serve each guest. He isn't pretentious, he's accessible -- he's fun, he's friendly, he's kind to children without being cloying -- he makes each guest feel like they are welcome and part of an exceptional dining experience. I had a smile on my face the entire time. The staff is plentiful and supportive. They can sense when you need something. They ask questions. They provide answers about everything from food to decor. Chef Saito even noticed one my kids was a lefty so they reversed his place setting. The quality of food is without question: from the fish flown in from Japan, to the blend of rice that Chef Saito prepares in front of the guests ("to show off" as he jokes), to the incredible blend of ingredients in his "salad" (roll) course -- the dessert melon was the sweetest one I've tasted (and wisely sprinkled with salt to pull that back). If you truly enjoy traditional sushi, having it handed to you as soon as it's been prepared -- without any need for soy, or wasabi, or whatever stuff that places use to make sushi less and less like its classic form -- this is going to be the complete experience, hosted by one of the best chefs I've seen. Worth it. read more

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Sushi lovers have all heard about @sushimasakisaito, Either for its 2 Michelin star chef or its exorbitantly priced omakase. I had to see myself if its everything it's hyped up to be?! We arrived on a weekend at 6pm, and for a sushi counter that fits around 10 people, there were only 4 people dining at the time (us included). I was pretty surprised because it was so hard to get a reservation especially on weekends. The majority of the appetizers I found were delicious and well thought out/presented. All except the Charcoal grilled saberfish which I found was a bit bland My faves were: - slow cooked octopus (so tender and flavourful) - steamed albalone with liver sauce (abalone liver ) - sardine roll (seaweed, myoga, shiso, green onion) - wild yellow tail leaf with garlic miso I was told that Saito himself was the star of the show, that he was super out going and dramatic and that the meal would be entertaining. However I found that he didn't have any charisma, maybe even less than the typical sushi chef at other establishments. We offered him a glass of our sake and he just chugged it politely and went back to work. I was actually pretty disappointed by the lack of interactivity The sushi courses were very good, and the toro handroll was probably the best one I've ever had, but the other ones didn't wow me. Saito obviously has incredible knife skills and has access to freshly imported Japanese seafood and makes perfectly seasoned sushi rice, but I felt like something was missing. I also found there wasn't thorough enough explanations on the food, and one of the staff noticed I kept asking my bf what I was eating and he later began explaining the dishes to me. Overall for $2000 for 2 people (including a $200 sake) I don't feel like it was worth it. This place has been really hyped up, and quite frankly I would choose Yasu or Yukashi over this any day for the value. My fave sushi chef has to be at Yukashi 100%. read more

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Absolutely delightful! Everything was finessed and perfect for the occasion. This type of service comes with a price, though it was worth it for the special dinner. read more

Incredible. One of the best restaurants in Canada easily. Beware though, it is also easily the most expensive in Canada as well Don't really think it's worth the price though. read more

Rating based on takeout experience during COVID. Overall the experience was satisfying enough (food quality + service) even given the expectation after paying such a whopping price. But on the other hand, I wouldn't call this completely impeccable - earning five stars for this level of restaurant, in my opinion, has to mean it being all round spotless. Having said that it was not all round perfect, I'd still say it is well worthy of a try for diners who frequent $100/ppl Japanese takeout experience but somehow are seeking something even better. The quality of ingredient and cooking techniques are truly outstanding among the high-end Japanese restaurants I've tried in Toronto. It does taste different. They served two types of boxes for the February takeout/delivery, Edomae Barachirashi Don (江戸前ばらちらし丼) and Edomae Morikomi (江戸前盛り込み). The first is a $128 deluxe chirashi and the second is a $228 assorted platter of various small dishes, having more variety of fish comparing to the chirashi but no rice at all. I ordered both to share with my fiancé. Both were extremely well made boxes - The fishes in chirashi were fresh; sea urchins were with a pleasant bright orange color and a mellow sweet taste; ankimo dices were of very delicate texture and were so elegantly seasoned, better than any other ankimo I tried in Toronto (likely beating a lot of them in Japan too); and there was a generous amount of salmon roe as well. The Morikomi was more generous about fishes...just imagine an entire box filled with what you saw as the fish topping as the chirashi, but with even more variety. The entire box was of protein, no rice at all. Proportion wise both boxes were enough to feed a person with a small to medium sized stomach, but that's it. Don't expect to get stuffed from eating these boxes - admittedly though, with a similar price it's probably not difficult to find a super stuffing multi-course meal from other high-end restaurants (not necessarily Japanese). And no, there's no free dessert, soup, or something else coming with these boxes - they were by themselves alone. If you're seeking a full meal experience following the appetizer all the way to dessert format, these boxes might potentially disappoint. (But...who says you couldn't DIY by adding your own Matcha ice cream at the end? :D) Some other facets of my experience: they called to confirm my order and payment after I contacted them over the email; I was being asked during the call for how much tip I'd like to pay (was a big minus to me - deciding tip level before receiving the service was weird already, being asked explicitly in the phone call made it even more awkward. I complained but still agreed to tip as I still appreciated their staying in service anyways); and - biggest delightful surprise here, they did a delivery service to my home with a very reasonable charge. My home is quite far away from downtown and definitely not within the usual downtown restaurant delivery zone, but they did the delivery, arriving in the 15-min communicated time window and the food was of just the right temperature. Finally to conclude - I may consider re-ordering the $128 chirashi box again if someday they do another takeout service weekend, and I'd say that chirashi box is a good option to try this restaurant without (overly) breaking the bank - enough to get a taste of the next level of deliciousness. On the other hand, I do need to admit that in practice I'd be much more likely to spend $100 somewhere else, getting some already delicious enough fishes to quench the craving for high end Japanese food, plus dessert maybe, and save the rest of fund for a next meal. read more

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Left speechless... absolutely phenomenal! Came here last year and was blown away. Michelin star chef with Michelin star service. Chef Saito's humorous personality will ease you into the upscale environment. All the waitresses were detail oriented, tentative and unobtrusive. Let's not forget about that amazing food though. Just imagine, a mountain of freshly shaved white truffle on a bed of mouthwatering blue fin tuna. If that doesn't have you drooling, just you wait, it doesn't stop there. Chef Saito explained to us the process to make each dish in detail and stressed the importance of having the rice at a specific temperature. He personally made each batch of rice fresh to ensure that the temperature didn't alter the taste of the fish. It was apparent that he was extremely passionate with what he did. Would highly recommend! read more

Masaki Saito - The man himself - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I came in the restaurant hungry and left starving. I had high hopes for this restaurant as I heard good things about the chef. The chef was previously a holder of two michelin stars in New York and is known for his techniques of aging various ingredients to bring out deeper flavour. The restaurant only had one main chef making sushi at the time and the restaurant could only accomodate 6 people around the chef. Me and my girlfriend arrived late and was seated at the edge of the service range. There were two other groups seated closer to the chef at the time and they both had translators from the restaurant translating for them. They seemed like regulars and were treated to a highr calibre than my girlfriend and I. We felt ignored for the majority of the meal. The restaurant lacked the human element. All the staff aside from the chef felt very tense and rigid. The junior chef-in-training would bring fresh rice every 15 minutes during the sushi course and his lips would be pursed and his body tense as he held the rice bowl. Most of all, I left the meal starving despite paying a hefty $1,260 bill. There were only a small handful of dishes and 9 pieces of nigiri over two and a half hours. That is barely enough food to be full. I communicated with the staff many times that I was still hungry but I was ignored and told that the next seating of customers will be arriving. The food quality is above average, but having been to many michelin starred and well known sushi restaurants in Japan, the food is pretty mediocore apart from a couple standouts like the monkfish liver and the uni. The crab dish that was served lacked the fresh seafood taste associated with fresh crab, but instead had a bland taste akin to frozen crab with an overpowering flavour of dashi jelly. The miso soup was way overly salty. Overall, the restaurant is not worth the price, there is better value sushi in Toronto with better overall quality of experience. read more

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Each and every dish was prepared with utmost thought and consideration. The ingredients were fresh and prepared in front of us. So much care was involved with the presentation of each dish. Deserving of each and every Michelin star it has. read more

First, the greats: The freshness of the ingredients, with a combination of locally sourced and flown-in fish. The Uni is of a rare fresh quality often hard to find in N.America. Needless to say, the wasabi is freshly grated. The creativity of the dishes must be applauded. There is a smorgasbord of compilation that was marvellous at the time but seems a blur in retrospect. Perhaps most unique is the stunning single-piece Japanese wood table. Obviously sparing no expense. In fact, all the decor is authentic and with top notch attention to detail. From the moment you enter, the sequence of reception indicate wholesome Japanese professionalism. It is a quiet space ideal to relish this food, but fingers crossed you don't end up in a group (they do two settings per night) with rich loud ruffians. Second, les Terribles (for now, which hopefully would be improved as it is still a new resto) The terrible sizing. Even the larger set menu is still tiny. Japanese omakase should be flexibly catered to the guests - bit more or less, and which must be discerned by the master chef. But the base portions are simply far too deficient - even for more petite female guests. With the 500+ price tag, this must be one of the most expensive places on a per ounce basis. If they can't afford to give a bigger portion without eating into the bottom line, they might as well offer a 600+ menu that can fill you up, because the clientele is likely not price sensitive anyway. read more

Great food and atmosphere! Saito is one fun chef. Made the experience that much better! read more

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I have been to every highly important sushi restaurant in Tokyo, man, a lot more than once. and I can say that this resto is at the highest level. North American devotees talk about the fish. Yes, the quality and treatment of the fish is exceptional, BUT his rice is a outstanding as the very best I enjoyed ANYWHERE in japan, including Jiro. Those who know me know the length and breadth of my experiences in Japan as I often go once or twice a year, mainly to eat ( and enjoy the culture). so for what it's worth, enjoy what may be the best ( or at the very least) one of the top 2-3 sushi experiences in North America. read more