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Had a great dinner here! The food was delicious and had a couple items that were more unique to this place: foie gras nigiri, aji: sashimi, nigiri, fried. Both of these would get again! We got the 10 piece premium nigiri set for dinner each. All very good as well. Even the strawberry mochi dessert was so good. The drawbacks are the prices are pretty high here. There were many other items on the menu that gave me even bigger sticker shock, but I'm sure it's also very good. For 2, with tax and tip, dinner was about $400 CAD. Call in for reservations. Parking is a bit difficult, so allocate enough time.
OCTOPUS GARDEN My favourite restaurant of all time. Chef Sada has been serving his delicious creations in the Kitsilano neighbourhood since 1993. The restaurant itself is small and cozy. Tables are situated in a way that will ensure you have privacy even in such an intimate space. Their decor is like a mishmash of the classic Japanese elegance with a splash of nostalgic memorabilia. Warm toned wood and traditional Japanese decor is the core of the interior design, but turn a corner and you will find a twenty year-old tailless fish swimming next to the wine cellar (that's the vibe and it's awesome). You will also spot pictures of notable past patrons scattered throughout the restaurant, as well as note-worthy mentions of Chef Sada and the restaurant on the bathroom doors. Like I said, elegance with a splash. The food here is much like the restaurant itself; elegant but eclectic, and always amazing. They always have the freshest sashimi on the menu. Some of our favourites are the Bluefin Tuna, King Salmon, scallops, and Waru (butter fish). Their Uni Shooters are a must-try. The kitchen also serves up some of the best Japanese food in town, and the menu will change in accordance to the seasonal ingredients that the restaurant is able to source. Rest assured, everything will taste like a dream in any season. Customer service is the definition of great hospitality. The team here is always incredibly welcoming and will do their best to make sure you are comfortable. Our servers went out of their way to decorate my birthday cake with additional strawberry mochi's and added a sparkler because we didn't have candles. Do keep in mind that the team is small so the pacing of the food may get slow if the restaurant is really busy--art does take time. This restaurant will be on the pricier side. However, considering the taste, quality, and experience; it is definitely worth the splurge if you're looking for something special. Have you guys tried this hidden gem yet? 10/10 10/10 $$$$ Octopus Garden | 1995 Cornwall Ave, Vancouver
I tried my luck for a table for an early meal without a reservation and was lucky to grab one! It was the perfect oppor-tuna-ty !! The room was very small, it was located in the room outside of the main dining area but the decor inside was cozy and welcoming, it even had an octopus shaped mirror The menu was so extensive and there were many pictures of the dishes they offer like beef wagyu, uni, and lobster I was set on the chawanmushi with foie gras $35 and Bluefin tuna tasting If you love Bluefin tuna like I do then I absolutely recommend the bluefin here. It was very fresh. The tasting includes maki roll, bluefin nigiri of toro, chutoro and otoro. They even served 1 pc aburi style and that was one of my favs The chawanmushi was also very smooth and steamed perfected, topped with a generous portion of foie gras I wish I had room for dessert !! I would definitely be back and for sure make a reservation beforehand
Excellent service and dishes were very unique. Fresh oysters, Uni noodles, wey u beef, frozen, but so tender, Blue Fin Tuna Sashimi,and of course Sake. Very pricey but was worth it. Menu pictures.
We ordered a takeout for a COVID-19 Date Night at home. Holy cow, Chef Sada went ALL OUT and even threw in some VERY generous freebies that we didn't even realize until we got home!! And yes, it was expensive, but we figure you get what you pay for, and we are worried that if this COVID situation goes on, it might be a while before we will taste stuff like this again - so we figure we should support the restaurants while we can. We had chirashi sushi (he gave us an extra one!!!) with the special toro and chutoro added, the nigiri platter with the otoro & chutoro added (again, there were a bunch of freebies added), and of course, his infamous uni shooters (jumbo size). All the fish was really fresh and amazing. He also gave us two of his strawberry daifuku which were delicious. I am beyond stuffed. Thank you Chef Sada & Octopus Garden team! We thoroughly enjoyed our over the top decadent dinner! We hope your business is able to survive these trying times, and everyone stays safe & healthy!
Legit sushi joint. Super sweet service, great fish, perfectly seasoned rice, and delicious sake. Inly thing to complain about is not cheap, but you are getting what you pay for here. Beautiful ambiance as well. Worth the trip for sure.
Good choice of foods and very good service. Had aftertaste of preservatives likely from the fish dishes. The reason I gave it low rating is that you may be cheated on you food bill or robbed as they may double charge you food items, specially on the higher price ones. I suggest CRA should audit their books, if they cheat customers, they may also cheat on taxes they paid. There were other customers had the same experiences from another foodies discussion group.
Back in 2018, I met a local Vancouverite also solo traveling thru South Korea who stated that her favorite sushi restaurant in Vancouver was Octopus Garden. Six years later, I finally made it to celebrate my friend's upcoming wedding. Immediately upon entering, my party was greeted with over the top hospitality, very much aligned with authentic Japanese culture. We came here specifically for the omakase to celebrate the special occasion, which requires advanced reservations while requesting for the omakase course menu. Every dish tasted super fresh and was filled with so much flavor. Much appreciated the servers for the thorough explanation of all the ingredients cooked into each. Much gratitude to the staff for bringing the sparklers and helping to celebrate the special occasion. It's about a 5-10 minute walk from Kitsilano Beach, perfect for a sunset walk post dinner, with plenty of free street parking around the area. The prices are definitely up there, but worth it for a very special celebration.
Ordered Omakase with sake pairing. We were a party of four seated in a corner with an aquarium, wine display and a practice water painting set which was very fun to paint on. The omakase menu listed 7 courses but the chef generously added 2 more dishes. My party was very full and satisfied. It's been almost a month and I'm still thinking about the Wagyu Sukiyaki. I don't think I've been so deeply moved by a bowl of meat and noodles before.
I called a week in advance to make reso, but it was all booked! But we got super lucky that there was a last min cancellation during one of the days we were in Vancouver. Note: they will charge you $100 for not showing up for your reservation. The art sashimi is amazing!! My fav was the sweet shrimp, uni, and the toro. But king crab, salmon, and the scallops were a hit for our table, But don't order it if you are on a budget because the price is apparently different every time and it's like a surprise! We also ordered 4x 10 premium Nigiri for 4 ppl, and it was wayyyy too much food. But I highly recommend it! Next time, I'd just order the 10 premium nigiri and couple sashimi will do. I had a little bite of my husbands foie gras, it was amazing, but too rich for my liking, and very filling. If you like cooked fish, you must order the black cod! It was the best one I've had, it was super tender and sweet! Was amazing!
As you can probably tell from my reviews, I tend to give shout outs to a lot of Japanese restaurants. Why? Because I want to.. and because there are so many good ones in my backyard! Came here recently for my birthday and I have no idea why I haven't come before as it's be here for over 25 years. Small little place run by Mr. Sada-san in Kitsilano who is very friendly and welcoming. I recommend ordering his specialties which are blue fin toro otoro, sada's own uni shooters and his original foie gras nigiri. If I had to spend the money on wagyu beef again, I would probably wait and do it again back in Kobe, Japan. WARNING - If you come with an empty stomach, you might leave with an empty wallet. It is a higher end authentic Japanese restaurant but it's worth the spend. Book in advance as this is a great place to take a significant other!
Hubby surprised me with reservations to Octopus Garden for date night. Its a small, cozy restaurant in Kits that I hadn't noticed before. They've got some rules like having to make reservations (I saw them turn away walk-ins) and if you want to do their omakase, let them know when making reservations. We didn't do omakase but ordered a la carte. Like most Japanese establishments, they have daily specials of fresh items; however theirs is on a chalkboard not visible to all tables. Our server asked for our phone so he could take a picture of the board for us. So guess this is a known problem that they should find a way to resolve rather than asking customers for their phones... As for the food, there were some highlights but some surprising disappointments on some basic dishes for a place that is $$$$: - What we learnt was probably not get cooked foods here. Our chicken karrage was OK but tasted pretty average - the truffle mayo that was extra $ tasted just like regular mayo. The vegetable tempura that came with our udon was super soggy and fell apart quickly. - The individual pieces of nigiri we ordered though fresh, did not wow us as many restaurants are able to get the same now (we are spoiled in Vancouver!). There was also some inconsistencies since the Uni Nigiri that we did like, when we ordered a 2nd order of it, it came as a maki (seaweed wrapped around sushi rice) instead of nigiri and the uni tasted different and not as good. - The highlights to the meal were the dishes they created that other places normally don't have: the fois gras nigiri ($12/each) was a fatty and delicious spoonful, the wagyu taster ($45) came prepared 3 ways and was nicely seasoned, and the daifuku ($12/each) were sweet and lovely end to our meal.
I have heard plenty of great things of Octopus Garden and they have been around for ages but I'm surprised I haven't made a visit here till now! Their sashimi here is A++ with plenty of variety and they are REAAAALLLY good! But it definitely comes with a price higher tag that is higher than our usual go to sushi restaurants. We ordered Uni Caviar and Truffle Chawanmushi + Art Sashimi & Aji Sashimi/Fried + Blue Fin Tuna Tasting + Premium Nigiri Sushi Platter. The Chawanmushi was extremely rich with flavour with all the extra premium ingredients but I would say the highlight in this restaurant is all about the sashimi. The blue fin tuna tasting was something that stood out to me the most with the variety of cuts and each piece just melts in your mouth! You can literally see each micro pocket of oily cell in the otoro that gives that buttery burst in your mouth! Highly recommend checking this place out for some quality sashimi but remember to book early! The rarely take walk ins and even had a line starting as soon as they opened with customers who made reso!
Honestly still my favorite omakase spot in Vancouver as a tourist. It wasn't a true omakase experience but still a good experience nonetheless. The omakase was $200pp but you get $5 off normal price for their add-ons. We opted for the original foie gras nigiri and uni on the beach. The quality for the sashimi felt incredible; each piece had that melt in your mouth quality. The nigiri though was a little disappointing after the sashimi. Not the biggest fan of truffle in Japanese dish but not end of the world. Other highlight was their fruits - Japanese fruits are among the best out there. Excited to come back next time I'm in Vancouver! read more
Had a fabulous happy hour omakase at 5:30pm! Was very easy making a reservation over the phone. The early bird special was $100 per person and came with a mini don, 5 pieces of sashimi, 5 nigiri sushi and mini dessert. The fish was so fresh and delicious. We also added on the wagyu foie gras nigiri and it was the best bite I've had in a while - so rich and decadent. We also added an additional 10 pieces of assorted nigiri to have a full meal - it was so good! Service was very friendly. read more
Been in business for over 30 years! If you're looking to dine here I recommend going to instagram to double check their monthly availability. They were closed for an extended period early November. You can call to make reservations between 3:30-5pm. The entire restaurant is a maximalist's dream. The decor lives up to their name! I loved every detail. There's bench seating outside with heat lamps, suitable for parties of 6. My table had a buddha board to draw while waiting and a small bell to request service. If you're looking to try the omakase course you don't have to sit at the sushi bar. They have kitchen specials not on the menu, the last two rows of photos on the blackboard. Everything else on the blackboard was on the menu. We ordered the Art Sashimi set (chef's choice) and gave our price range per person. The set came with a ponzu sauce for specific cuts. The oyster motoyaki with white miso was a kitchen special, $32 for 4 pieces. read more
3 years ago
Had a great dinner here! The food was delicious and had a couple items that were more unique to this place: foie gras nigiri, aji: sashimi, nigiri, fried. Both of these would get again! We got the 10 piece premium nigiri set for dinner each. All very good as well. Even the strawberry mochi dessert was so good. The drawbacks are the prices are pretty high here. There were many other items on the menu that gave me even bigger sticker shock, but I'm sure it's also very good. For 2, with tax and tip, dinner was about $400 CAD. Call in for reservations. Parking is a bit difficult, so allocate enough time. read more
2 years ago
OCTOPUS GARDEN My favourite restaurant of all time. Chef Sada has been serving his delicious creations in the Kitsilano neighbourhood since 1993. The restaurant itself is small and cozy. Tables are situated in a way that will ensure you have privacy even in such an intimate space. Their decor is like a mishmash of the classic Japanese elegance with a splash of nostalgic memorabilia. Warm toned wood and traditional Japanese decor is the core of the interior design, but turn a corner and you will find a twenty year-old tailless fish swimming next to the wine cellar (that's the vibe and it's awesome). You will also spot pictures of notable past patrons scattered throughout the restaurant, as well as note-worthy mentions of Chef Sada and the restaurant on the bathroom doors. Like I said, elegance with a splash. The food here is much like the restaurant itself; elegant but eclectic, and always amazing. They always have the freshest sashimi on the menu. Some of our favourites are the Bluefin Tuna, King Salmon, scallops, and Waru (butter fish). Their Uni Shooters are a must-try. The kitchen also serves up some of the best Japanese food in town, and the menu will change in accordance to the seasonal ingredients that the restaurant is able to source. Rest assured, everything will taste like a dream in any season. Customer service is the definition of great hospitality. The team here is always incredibly welcoming and will do their best to make sure you are comfortable. Our servers went out of their way to decorate my birthday cake with additional strawberry mochi's and added a sparkler because we didn't have candles. Do keep in mind that the team is small so the pacing of the food may get slow if the restaurant is really busy--art does take time. This restaurant will be on the pricier side. However, considering the taste, quality, and experience; it is definitely worth the splurge if you're looking for something special. Have you guys tried this hidden gem yet? 10/10 10/10 $$$$ Octopus Garden | 1995 Cornwall Ave, Vancouver read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I tried my luck for a table for an early meal without a reservation and was lucky to grab one! It was the perfect oppor-tuna-ty !! The room was very small, it was located in the room outside of the main dining area but the decor inside was cozy and welcoming, it even had an octopus shaped mirror The menu was so extensive and there were many pictures of the dishes they offer like beef wagyu, uni, and lobster I was set on the chawanmushi with foie gras $35 and Bluefin tuna tasting If you love Bluefin tuna like I do then I absolutely recommend the bluefin here. It was very fresh. The tasting includes maki roll, bluefin nigiri of toro, chutoro and otoro. They even served 1 pc aburi style and that was one of my favs The chawanmushi was also very smooth and steamed perfected, topped with a generous portion of foie gras I wish I had room for dessert !! I would definitely be back and for sure make a reservation beforehand read more
2 years ago
Excellent service and dishes were very unique. Fresh oysters, Uni noodles, wey u beef, frozen, but so tender, Blue Fin Tuna Sashimi,and of course Sake. Very pricey but was worth it. Menu pictures. read more
7 years ago
We ordered a takeout for a COVID-19 Date Night at home. Holy cow, Chef Sada went ALL OUT and even threw in some VERY generous freebies that we didn't even realize until we got home!! And yes, it was expensive, but we figure you get what you pay for, and we are worried that if this COVID situation goes on, it might be a while before we will taste stuff like this again - so we figure we should support the restaurants while we can. We had chirashi sushi (he gave us an extra one!!!) with the special toro and chutoro added, the nigiri platter with the otoro & chutoro added (again, there were a bunch of freebies added), and of course, his infamous uni shooters (jumbo size). All the fish was really fresh and amazing. He also gave us two of his strawberry daifuku which were delicious. I am beyond stuffed. Thank you Chef Sada & Octopus Garden team! We thoroughly enjoyed our over the top decadent dinner! We hope your business is able to survive these trying times, and everyone stays safe & healthy! read more
Legit sushi joint. Super sweet service, great fish, perfectly seasoned rice, and delicious sake. Inly thing to complain about is not cheap, but you are getting what you pay for here. Beautiful ambiance as well. Worth the trip for sure. read more
5 years ago
Good choice of foods and very good service. Had aftertaste of preservatives likely from the fish dishes. The reason I gave it low rating is that you may be cheated on you food bill or robbed as they may double charge you food items, specially on the higher price ones. I suggest CRA should audit their books, if they cheat customers, they may also cheat on taxes they paid. There were other customers had the same experiences from another foodies discussion group. read more
Back in 2018, I met a local Vancouverite also solo traveling thru South Korea who stated that her favorite sushi restaurant in Vancouver was Octopus Garden. Six years later, I finally made it to celebrate my friend's upcoming wedding. Immediately upon entering, my party was greeted with over the top hospitality, very much aligned with authentic Japanese culture. We came here specifically for the omakase to celebrate the special occasion, which requires advanced reservations while requesting for the omakase course menu. Every dish tasted super fresh and was filled with so much flavor. Much appreciated the servers for the thorough explanation of all the ingredients cooked into each. Much gratitude to the staff for bringing the sparklers and helping to celebrate the special occasion. It's about a 5-10 minute walk from Kitsilano Beach, perfect for a sunset walk post dinner, with plenty of free street parking around the area. The prices are definitely up there, but worth it for a very special celebration. read more
2 years ago
Ordered Omakase with sake pairing. We were a party of four seated in a corner with an aquarium, wine display and a practice water painting set which was very fun to paint on. The omakase menu listed 7 courses but the chef generously added 2 more dishes. My party was very full and satisfied. It's been almost a month and I'm still thinking about the Wagyu Sukiyaki. I don't think I've been so deeply moved by a bowl of meat and noodles before. read more
5 years ago
I called a week in advance to make reso, but it was all booked! But we got super lucky that there was a last min cancellation during one of the days we were in Vancouver. Note: they will charge you $100 for not showing up for your reservation. The art sashimi is amazing!! My fav was the sweet shrimp, uni, and the toro. But king crab, salmon, and the scallops were a hit for our table, But don't order it if you are on a budget because the price is apparently different every time and it's like a surprise! We also ordered 4x 10 premium Nigiri for 4 ppl, and it was wayyyy too much food. But I highly recommend it! Next time, I'd just order the 10 premium nigiri and couple sashimi will do. I had a little bite of my husbands foie gras, it was amazing, but too rich for my liking, and very filling. If you like cooked fish, you must order the black cod! It was the best one I've had, it was super tender and sweet! Was amazing! read more
As you can probably tell from my reviews, I tend to give shout outs to a lot of Japanese restaurants. Why? Because I want to.. and because there are so many good ones in my backyard! Came here recently for my birthday and I have no idea why I haven't come before as it's be here for over 25 years. Small little place run by Mr. Sada-san in Kitsilano who is very friendly and welcoming. I recommend ordering his specialties which are blue fin toro otoro, sada's own uni shooters and his original foie gras nigiri. If I had to spend the money on wagyu beef again, I would probably wait and do it again back in Kobe, Japan. WARNING - If you come with an empty stomach, you might leave with an empty wallet. It is a higher end authentic Japanese restaurant but it's worth the spend. Book in advance as this is a great place to take a significant other! read more
Hubby surprised me with reservations to Octopus Garden for date night. Its a small, cozy restaurant in Kits that I hadn't noticed before. They've got some rules like having to make reservations (I saw them turn away walk-ins) and if you want to do their omakase, let them know when making reservations. We didn't do omakase but ordered a la carte. Like most Japanese establishments, they have daily specials of fresh items; however theirs is on a chalkboard not visible to all tables. Our server asked for our phone so he could take a picture of the board for us. So guess this is a known problem that they should find a way to resolve rather than asking customers for their phones... As for the food, there were some highlights but some surprising disappointments on some basic dishes for a place that is $$$$: - What we learnt was probably not get cooked foods here. Our chicken karrage was OK but tasted pretty average - the truffle mayo that was extra $ tasted just like regular mayo. The vegetable tempura that came with our udon was super soggy and fell apart quickly. - The individual pieces of nigiri we ordered though fresh, did not wow us as many restaurants are able to get the same now (we are spoiled in Vancouver!). There was also some inconsistencies since the Uni Nigiri that we did like, when we ordered a 2nd order of it, it came as a maki (seaweed wrapped around sushi rice) instead of nigiri and the uni tasted different and not as good. - The highlights to the meal were the dishes they created that other places normally don't have: the fois gras nigiri ($12/each) was a fatty and delicious spoonful, the wagyu taster ($45) came prepared 3 ways and was nicely seasoned, and the daifuku ($12/each) were sweet and lovely end to our meal. read more
I have heard plenty of great things of Octopus Garden and they have been around for ages but I'm surprised I haven't made a visit here till now! Their sashimi here is A++ with plenty of variety and they are REAAAALLLY good! But it definitely comes with a price higher tag that is higher than our usual go to sushi restaurants. We ordered Uni Caviar and Truffle Chawanmushi + Art Sashimi & Aji Sashimi/Fried + Blue Fin Tuna Tasting + Premium Nigiri Sushi Platter. The Chawanmushi was extremely rich with flavour with all the extra premium ingredients but I would say the highlight in this restaurant is all about the sashimi. The blue fin tuna tasting was something that stood out to me the most with the variety of cuts and each piece just melts in your mouth! You can literally see each micro pocket of oily cell in the otoro that gives that buttery burst in your mouth! Highly recommend checking this place out for some quality sashimi but remember to book early! The rarely take walk ins and even had a line starting as soon as they opened with customers who made reso! read more
I have bookmarked Octopus Garden for a long time, I finally visited it! It's located on Cornwall Ave and is small cozy Japanese restaurant. I liked the décor and staffs were so friendly. They charged for tea but it served with nice tea set. We were so hungry and ordered quite a lot of foods! Agedashi tofu in spicy mushroom sauce - Tofu wasn't smooth and mushroom sauce wasn't favorable. Assorted sashimi - Hamachi, Sockeye salmon, Ika, Tako, Waru, Nishin (Herring) and Mekjiki Toro (swordfish) All the sashimi were delightful and fresh! Especially Nishin and mekjiki toro so delicious! Nigiri - Hamachi Toro, Ika, Tuna O-Toro, it's not too fatty but mouthful. Wagyu beef roll - high quality grade of wagyu and strong taste of beef, yummy. Lobster roll - It's good, nothing special. Spicy chopped scallop cone - never had that spicy scallop cone. I loved the crispy and spicy! Mirugai nigiri - Very fresh geoduck sushi, thumbs up! Dragon roll - Beautiful presentation and lovely eel roll I never had. Black sesame ice cream and banana tempura with ice cream - Just saved room for dessert. Strong black sesame flavor and huge portion of banana tempura. I died for it..... I definitely will be back! read more
4 years ago
Everything is fresh. We had uni done, lobster sashimi, premium sashimi, fois gras, and wagyu udon. Everything tasted good. The lobster sashimi was my favorite. read more
As much as I love foie gras, I was disappointed in their preparation. Each piece was very sizeable, but not seared enough to get that caramelization. Perhaps it was too big, wasn't scored enough (didn't even notice that it was). The foie gras w wagyu was decent but the foie gras w caviar and truffle looked and tasted too oily. The Dungeness crab sunomono was tasty as was the king crab chawanmushi (steamed egg). The sushi looked good but didn't think it worth the price. I've had the good fortune of awesome omakase back in the States. Service while friendly didn't wow us. They brought food out for the party of four who came in after us. I think they may have tried to makeup for it by adding uni to our amaebi special. Overall I can understand the great reviews. But for us it was not a home run. p.s. most of the parking in the area was by permit only. The host didn't offer options but commented it's rare they ticket. So good luck future patrons. read more
7 years ago
Ordered: Whole uni local $40 - YUMmmmm Geoduck nigri sushi x2 $6 ea = 12 Bluefin ChuToro nigri sushi x2 $10 ea = 20 Chopped scallop nigri x2 $ 6 ea = 12 All the above nigri would've been superb, if they knew how to perfect the base aka rice because they were hard; extremely disappointing! read more
8 years ago
6 years ago
7 years ago
The current pandemic has forced restaurants to close. It has been great to see restaurants like Octopus Garden get creative and offer take out. It's is not an easy endeavour to take on. Thank you for the easy ordering process through Instagram DM or phone. Pick up times allowed for social distancing and easy parking. Amazingly friendly service upon pick up with an escort to my car to drop off the food. It was great to see employees working and measures being taken to provide a clean, safe environment. Brilliant food. Perfectly presented. Flavourful. Fresh. Bravo! read more
7 years ago
TLDR - Service was ok, fish fresh, some misses. Recommend eating a la carte since the best items in omakase were in the a la carte menu. My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday. He made reservations in advance for the omakase, which was difficult because it was hard to reach them. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were asked to wait in the tiny room next to the restaurant because the party before wasn't ready to leave. 20 min later, we finally got seated. We were given a tiny platter of grapes each as a thank you for waiting... We ordered some beers and added a foie gras nigiri for $10 each (a "special" for omakase diners, $2 less than menu prices). Our omakase: Uni shooters - I really enjoyed this, would definitely have again. Unique flavours and uni was very fresh. Appetizer platter which included a raw oyster, deep fried shrimp in panko crumbs, raw baby octopus with miso paste, and a smoked salmon cracker - this was underwhelming, everything tasted bland and just ok. Salad greens - when this was served, my boyfriend tried very hard not to rolls his eyes. Let's just assume it was supposed to be a palate cleanser. Foie gras nigiri addition - This was pretty good, fatty and flavourful, albeit too oily (served in a spoon and there was a bunch of oil pooling at the bottom). Clear mushroom broth with shiitake and enoki served in a teacup - deep umami flavour, which my boyfriend and I both loved. I can drink this as water on a daily basis. Nigiri platter, 6 pieces each of tai, geoduck, tuna, butterfish, salmon (from New Zealand) and bluefin tuna toro - the fish was very fresh. It was interesting to try the New Zealand salmon, which is a lot softer and milder than BC sockeye. The geoduck was super sweet and fresh, and the toro melted in our mouths. Wish we had more selection than 6 though, would've traded the appetizer platter for that in a heartbeat. Sashimi platter with ebi, hamachi, uni, otoro and fish-I-forgot - again, fresh fish, with the uni being the most amazing. Cooked bluefin tuna with shio and lemon - this was a huge block of fish, juicy on the inside. I understand that it should be enjoyed for what it is, but it was quite bland. Could've used something to boost the flavour. It felt like the protein dish that was meant to fill us up. Dessert, which was strawberry wrapped in strawberry mochi and azuki bean paste, served with fresh cream on the side - very good, loved it. Just a bit annoyed because everyone else gets theirs served with a rambutan and/ or macaron and we had no sides with it.. Service was ok. Friendly, but not very attentive and I didn't completely understand what I was eating as the explanations were a bit rushed and unclear. In conclusion, it's ok that we went, but for $120 a head we will not be returning. read more
After an extensive online search for the best authentic sushi restaurant in Vancouver, we decided on Octopus Garden. We didn't know that omakase opt-in had to be on the phone 24 hours ahead of time, so we just ordered a la carte instead. Uni shooter (large): great for sharing between two people. I really like uni with quail egg. The textures together are a great combination. Because we shared, we used a spoon to eat instead of shooting it down. That was a bit difficult given the egg yolk and grated potato mixture at the bottom were not easy to pick up. Great dish regardless, if you like uni and gooey stuff. Sushi that we ordered: - Snapper - Aji - Scallop - Hamachi chu-toro - Botan ebi - Ikura - Gintoro - Uni - Dungeness crab - Tobiko and quail egg It ended up being a light meal. But there wasn't a lot of variety so we just ordered what we liked out of the limited selection. But the fish was very very fresh and prices were reasonable. Great service too. Next time I'm in Vancouver, I definitely want to go back and try the omakase. It looked great a few seats down from us! read more
Octopus Garden is my favourite Japanese restaurant for omakase in Vancouver. There used to be several price points for omakase, but now they only offer omakase at $120 per person. My fiancé and I have been here several times, but last week we tried the $120 omakase for the first time. I'm happy to report that despite the hefty price tag, we were not disappointed. We started off with a uni shooter, which made me so happy because their uni shooter is definitely on my top 10 list of the best foods I've ever tasted. The sweetness of the uni goes so well with the creaminess of the quail egg. The mountain yam and rice adds a nice texture to the shooter, and the kelp gives it a nice umami "sea" flavour. So so good. Following the uni shooter, we had bluefin otoro 3 ways: nigiri, aburi (seared), and negitoro. All three were fresh and delicious, but our favourite was aburi - we loved the smokey flavour. Next was the appetizer sampler, which included a cold white asparagus dish, a whitefish ceviche with grapefruit, tomato and shrimp tempura, and a torched scallop "motoyaki" with a uni cream sauce on top. I loved the different ingredients and flavours, but being the uni fanatic that I am, the scallop motoyaki with uni cream sauce was the standout for me. The next course was a salad with herring roe. Tasty, but it's a salad... so nothing to phone home about. After the salad, the chef Sada-san handed us a stunning sashimi plate with isaki, butterfish, botan ebi, and kanpachi. We told him it was our anniversary earlier, so he presented the isaki on the body of the fish (on a super long plate). He wanted the "long" presentation of the sashimi to represent his wishes for a long lasting relationship for us - how sweet! I was blown away by how thoughtful Sada-san was and how he customized the presentation based on each customer. Next dish was a lobster miso soup. There was a good amount of lobster meat and the soup was very rich... though a little salty for my taste. I'll admit I was getting quite full at this point (and I didn't know how many dishes there were left), so I didn't finish my soup. For our last course (before dessert), we had a braised snapper head. My fiancé and I thought this was a little random and didn't really go with the rest of the meal - we could've done without this dish. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, just not as fantastic as I would've expected from the final savoury dish. After the braised snapper head, Sada-san checked in with us to make sure we were full. I believe they offer udon if you're not full yet, but we were already stuffed, so they brought us some dessert. Dessert for the night was a homemade matcha and hojicha gelato with whipped cream, red beans, sliced strawberries, and chocolate sauce. A tasty end to our meal. I had a wonderful dinner at Octopus Garden (as usual), but I really appreciate that every omakase experience we've had has been very different food-wise. Very clever on their part because it keeps things interesting and entices us to come back over and over again! TLDR; Best omakase in Vancouver at $120/person. You get a good variety of nigiri, sashimi, cooked foods, and Chef Sada-san's original creations. read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and it was yummy but $$$$. Since it was our first time, the menu was overwhelming (they had daily special menu(s) and a regular menu). The wagyu beef foie gras was delicious but also a bit heavy. Our favorite items were the otoro nigiri and akami nigiri and the strawberry mochi. read more
It's a little pricey, but I liked the restaurant ambiance and food. Extremely fresh sashimi and oysters. In terms of raw oysters, I especially liked the kusshi and Shigoku. Their Uni shooters were delicious. And I especially liked their Chutoro. The sushi chefs and wait staff were all extremely friendly and well dressed. Make sure you make a reservation though...it's quite packed at night. read more
9 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago
We had the Omasake set for two. The Chef was extremely talented and kind to accommodate with our special request for more sea urchins. We were delighted to see it being incorporated into various dishes. The sashimi platter was amazing that the salmon and blue fin tuna just melted in our mouths. For the desert plate, we had the lovely cream brûlée with red bean paste and matcha tiramisu. An awesome place to visit if you're craving for fresh sashimi and want to experience sophisticated high end Japanese cuisine. read more
7 years ago
10 years ago
This is a good place for a curious foodie to check out once, but it's not worth it, in my (working) opinion. Definitely try the Uni shooters--they're a unique and tasty combo of uni, raw quail egg and rice in a shot glass. The nigiri platter was good, but not more amazing than any other great Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, but you can be sure you'll be paying more. We ordered a roll--I forget the name--but it had prawn tempura in it and is wrapped in avocado. It was tasty, but once again, not exceptionally so. We weren't in the mood for Wagyu beef, but they have a few items with such on their menu. A Wagyu sampler (3pcs) would be ~$40. read more
7 years ago
This place has very good quality sushi and with premium price. They have excellent sashimi quality and the foie gras was top notch ! All in all this place even with the high price tag would have got a full 5 stars if I did not have to point out that I had been overcharged by about $12 on a different sake than what I had ordered which was the recommendation of the host. So I would recommend looking over the bill before you pay. Also the host said the wait would take 15 minutes and it took over half hour so at least double the estimate time which should not be too hard to estimate if your a regular host because it is a tiny place. The waitress that where's the traditional Kimono is super nice and friendly ! I will definately be back ! read more
Hands down, the best sushi I've had in Vancouver or -- better yet -- the best I've had outside of Japan to date. It's almost beyond words. But if you follow my reviews, you know I'm not a woman of few words. So here goes... It was a day of ME time. After some boutique shopping on 4th Ave, I strolled down to Octopus Garden for an early supper. I came alone and sat at the bar. The server brought me some delicious genmai tea. I was perusing the menu for a while. The food was incredible. It's one of those places I would consider not returning to just to never risk a lesser experience than the first time. But I will to go back. I have to. In fact, I already have plans to. Butter fish carpaccio with basil oil - This was melt in your mouth good. The basil infused oil was such a lovely, subtle flavor. Chef Sada-san asked me if I like spicy -- and oh boy, do I! So he added touches of heat. I wanted to savor each bite. For $12, this had a pretty good amount of meat. It was a bit more sashimi than capraccio to me, but it may have been the specific choice of fish. When you order this dish, it may come with a different daily fish. Harumi negitoro with quail egg - Chef Sada-san surprised me with a special treat. This was lovely although I wasn't sure it was something I could order again as I couldn't find it on the menu. Botan ebi - Biggest spot prawn ever. Deep fried head with so much yumminess going on. You either love it like me or you make faces at the sight of it like most of my friends. Uni - Caught fresh that very morning, the uni was beautifully presented with its shell behind it. Buttery velvet texture. Perfect flavor. Only Juno on Davie has served me uni as good. The nigiri at Octopus Garden, however, are bigger but also more expensive. Toro nigiri - Unbelievably good. Lots of places sell toro, most don't deliver. Foie gras - Wow. No words. So delectable. Served beautifully on a spoon. The flavor combination here was so complex in a simple little bite. If you're a foie gras fan, you have to try this. Braised black cod belly - Yelpers didn't let me down. This was phenomenal. I had this in the same course as the foie gras and this was the power duo. Shiitake mushroom - Theresa W's review said this was the best thing she's ever tasted so I had to try it. I loved it. Geoduck - As I am still new to the Pacific Northwest, this was the one thing on the menu I've never tried before. I wasn't a fan of the texture which is somewhere between clam and octopus, but the taste is okay. I wouldn't order it again but glad I tried it. Chef Sada-san also fried up a couple pieces of the meat which was far tastier. Fried geoduck would be a perfect appetizer to have with some of the Asahi Black they serve. Two complaints, if I may. One -- prices are just a bit too high for me to come here as often as I would love to. Two -- the washroom needs a hook so you can hang your jacket/purse. I can't wait to come back here again. I'll come again before the evening rush so I can get some of that special attention I've now been spoiled with. I've got my sight set on having omakase (no longer on the menu) but Sada-san says he often will still do special creations for customers who ask. It's one of those places you wish you could give an extra star, or makes you reconsider the other places you've rated with 5 stars. It was that good. read more
For my birthday dinner I wanted to have some good Japanese Omakase in Vancouver area. Omakase literally means to entrust, so that when you order Omakase, you are entrusting the chef who will choose the freshest fish and ingredients for your special meal. It seemed like Octopus Garden has one of the most high-rated restaurants that offer quality omakase so J and I decided to give it a try. Octopus Garden requires 24-hour notice & reservation for their special omakase so make sure to call them in before dining in. Sitting at the sushi bar was a great choice as we could try the freshest sashimi right from our chef, Sada-san. Sada is very kind, humble and knowledgeable about the food he provided. Our omakase experienced wouldn't be satisfying without him! To start with we got Sada-san's signature Nomu Uni Shooter which consisted of fresh sea urchin, mountain potato, quail egg, wasabi, dashi broth (mixed with sake, mirin, soy sauce), rice and seaweed & minty Shiso leaf garnish in a little glass. It had a very interesting flavour and texture at the same time. It was creamy, slimy with some savoury flavours from the sea urchins. The rice added an extra crunchy texture while dashi broth gave more flavours. Make sure to mix it well and take a shot in one gulp. I personally liked it, but J wasn't sure if he liked it. Ahhhhhh what can I say here... The Bluefin Otoro Nigiri Sushi was one of the best I've ever had. (Bluefin Otoro is the fattest part of the tuna while Chutoro is the name for medium fatty tuna). They served us very high quality sashimi and the sushi rice was just perfect. Sada-san put some Japanese sea salt on top of the nigiri in order to pull out the real flavour of the fish. Amazingly tasty, flavorous and this small piece of sushi just melted in my mouth as soon as I put it. Also, the real fresh wasabi had a very clean, pure flavour. I decided to come back after trying this! Our next set of appetizers came along. It had 5 different little appetizers that were carefully prepared. The Tomato Salad (left) was very refreshing and its mild-sweet dressing was perfect as well. Deep-Fried Baby Egg Plant was stuffed with minced beef and foie gras, which was very crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. I liked the sauce which enhanced the overall flavours. Brussels Sprouts Salad was pretty good too. It still hold the firm texture and not mushy. The bonito worked well here to give more enhanced flavours. Foie Gras was placed on a savoury sesame cracker, and topped with strawberry jams. It was very rich in flavour, and buttery. It was very interesting to try soft foie gras with crispy sesame crackers on the bottom. Two very different textures blended well together. Prawn Tempura Spring Rolls were very refreshing. Prawn tempura inside the rolls was still very crispy without any sogginess. Also, the spicy sauce Sriracha prevented the greasiness. Well-done. Finally our sashimi was served in Bluefin Tuna Kama! I could tell each piece of sashimi was carefully cut and placed on the plate. We got 7 kinds of sashimi: Amaebi, Herring Roe, Hirame Engawa, Sockeye Salmon, Butterfish, Bluefin Tuna Chutoro and Hamachi (Left to Right). Everything tasted amazingly fresh and good. We definitely loved Sada's sashimi selection of the night. My favourite was Hamachi and Chutoro while J loved their Sockeye Salmon and Herring Roes the most. 7 kinds of nigiri sushi: Seared Scallop, Hirame Engawa, Butterfish, Geoduck, Mackerel, Tako (Octopus), Tamago (Top to bottom). The sushi rice was cooked and seasoned perfectly, and the fish was amazingly fresh. Some of nigiri were lightly seared giving out extra flavour. I loved butterfish and tamago! Braised Tai Kama was one of our main dish. I know I keep saying their food is so tasty and delicious, but then there is nothing else I can say other than that... The kama was braised long enough for the meat to absorb the sweet and savoury sauce. There was fairly good amount of meat we could have, and the meat itself was very easily apart from the bone. Yay! Sada-san remembered that it was my birthday and we got a special dessert platter :) Everything tasted really good and we were impressed by their pastry chef's skills. Creme Brulee with Red Beans, Lemon Cheese Cake topped with Fresh Strawberry, Sesame Seeds Sorbet, Salted Chocolate GanacheCake, Matcha Macaron & Matcha Tiramisu (Left to Right). Matcha Tiramisu was my favourite. The taste of matcha was in every bite, and the cake was sweet but not overly. The texture was soft, with a perfect blend of fluff! PROS + Amazing omakase & delicious food and dessert + Efficient service + Fresh ingredients + Good price for omakase ($75 or $100 per person) CONS - Maybe the location - Quite small place RATING Food 4.5/5.0 Ambience 3.5/5.0 Service 4.5/5.0 Price $$, $$$ *If you are going for Omakase and planning to have sake or any alcohol, expect to spend $200-$300 for 2 people. read more
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