We reserved one of Sho-dan's private, upstairs dining rooms. Even though we were isolated, service was ever-present, personable, and kept our water glasses topped off. This downtown Montreal restaurant is chic, lounge music piped through to complete their "chicness". They were busy that Friday, with most table and sushi bar seating filled. (Speaking of bars, I had a glass of white, and tried a tasty lycheetini.) The highlight of Sho-dan's arsenal is their assortment of specialty "concept" rolls which can be extreme in presentation, and atypical in taste, even to the most seasoned sushi ranger. My friends are Japanese restaurant enthusiasts and loved the quality of cuisine, from the tempura, to the slices of raw goodness, down to the perfectly matching sauces for each dish. Don't forget to get dessert sushi - the mango one is amazing. Dinner at Sho-dan blew my MIND. Be warned, prices are higher than average, but it's worth splurging for, just this once. (Credit cards accepted.) read more

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Why can't we have sushi this good in Ottawa? I almost NEVER go out for sushi in Ottawa because, like most of the Chinese food, it fucking sucks here. As someone who lived on the West Coast for 10 years, I cannot and WILL NOT give anyone 5 stars for their sushi unless it was just caught that day. Sho-Dan was VERY close to achieving the impossible - a 5 star sushi in landlocked Eastern Ontario. This place was fantastic service, high high quality fish, superb rolls, perfectly timed delivery to the bar where we sat.... Delicious cold sake and beer to accompany. I think the bill came out to $160 for the 2 of us (I didn't pay) but we left very full and content. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what we ordered (was a boozy night afterwards)....but 100% certain that I will recommend and be back. read more

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Excellent sushi - creative in preparation and delicious flavors. All of the rolls we ordered were visually appetizing and generous in size. Especially the Besame mucho. The Tempura was good, but nothing to write home about. Clearly the sushi is what shines here. Prices are on the expensive side. read more

Sup yelp its been a minute! Just wanted to leave a comment here about this restaurant because it was amazing and i really can't wait to go back. Sushi is freshly made and the staff took care of my friends and i amazingly haha I took some beef sashimi and a couple of varieties of sushi and i wasn't disappointed at all! A must go with frienda or a first and second date ;) read more

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Way too expensive for this quality of sushi. The fish didn't taste very fresh and were very dry. The rolls had nothing special. The rice was way too sour and hard. It just felt like eating from an all you can eat sushi place where the quality doesn't matter. The ambiance is nice as well as the staff so i will give 1 star for this. Definitely wouldn't come. There are much better places for sushi elsewhere. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Our hotel recommended this sushi place and made a reservation for us on a Friday night at 9 PM. The restaurant is upscale, with a great cozy ambiance. The service is great. Someone or the other kept checking if there was enough water in our glass. They do have a couple of vegetarian sushi options. However, there is no edamame. I have never been to a sushi restaurant that doesn't serve edamame, but oh well. I ordered the following: - Miso Soup: Very good. - Vegetable Roll: This was delicious - it had radish, avocado, cucumbers, and carrots. - Radish Roll: This was not on the menu, but I wanted a small roll and asked if they could make a radish roll for me. Delicious. - For dessert, we had one of their signature dessert with ice-cream and fried chocolate. It was amazing...we finished off the whole plate. It was $17, which we found out later when we got the bill. They don't have a separate dessert menu...maybe they don't want customers to know how much their desserts cost :) Overall - a great dinner option with good vegetarian options. Its pricey, so be prepared for a high check. Loved the food, service, and the ambiance. read more

Besame Mucho Little piece of heaven , that's it. Don't go for the regular boring menu or fried stuff. Jump directly to the specialities and treat yourself. So coming back to try more omg read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Besame mucho - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

First dinner in Montreal and hotel concierge recommended. A very nice and elegant decor, a bit upscale but not too over the top. You felt they honored great service. The sushi on the menu seemed pretty normal to me but a bit on the pricey side for what you are ordering....presentation is their strength and we were very pleased with that. The sizzling Black Cod was amazing and a generous portion. Sushi for two with two glasses of wine, $89. It hit the spot though. read more

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What can I say , the place is to hip, for what they serve, and the prices to high specialy selling a botel sake for 50 $ what cost in a normal store 13 dollar, is a bit hard, the staff is nice and friendly but the sushi was not the best I had. I'm personal not will come back there, there are better places here in Montreal for Sushi. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Kind of rip off - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

A great restaurant with absolutely delicious dishes made with nice, fresh ingredients. The staff is very kind and the ambiance is welcoming. If you are visiting from out of town, or you want to try out a new place, I highly recommend eating here. You will not be disappointed! read more

Excellent presentation and quality. Very accommodating with special requests. Full bar makes it all the better! Nice atmosphere! Service was plenty fast despite previous reviewers claim. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Another see & be seen place that concentrates more on the decor than the food. Please, they have rolls with, names like "the lawyer" & "lips" Most of the items are so dressed up with mayo, pineapple and other ingriendents, is this a salad or sushi? I went with 4 coworkers and we all ordered the Omakase (chefs choice) The sashimi and and rolls were warm. The rice was so warm it must have just came out of the cooker. The fish did not taste overly fresh and the rolls were quite bland. Not worth the money or time, much better sushi can be found in Montreal. Wished the pretty decor and good service extended to the food! Shodan, no please Sho- me- the- door so I can leave quickly! read more

Came here for dinner while on a business trip to Montreal. It was recommended to me by a colleague, with a substantial amount of hype. Whenever superlatives such as "best" are used, you tend to walk in with high expectations. The ambiance was trendy and chic. The menu offers run-of-the-mill sashimi/sushi as well as specialty rolls, which averaged ~$18-$25 each. I had the Besame Mucho roll and Lips. My friend had the Mango-Tango. The Besame roll was somewhat tasteless and got old fast after the 3rd piece. The Lips/Mango Tango rolls were much better, but nothing above and beyond what I've had at other sushi places. All in (incl. drinks, dessert, tip), the meal was $100+. Not astronomical, but not cheap either. As an aside, they didn't have Toro sashimi. Maybe Toro is in short supply in Montreal, but if you want to be considered a high-end sushi restaurant, not having Toro on the menu sets you back. Bottom line: Decent sushi/rolls, but given the hype and the price, I expected more. read more

After more than 10 years not havin gone to Sho-Dan, I almost had forgotten how good the sushis are everytime I went there in the past. Found in downtown Montreal, I must admit I understand why I "forgot" about Sho-Dan. As I don't usually find myself downtown after work, it's geographic position makes it easy to forget... You'll find a clean restaurant, smiling faces all around and a very good choice of sushi. I won't spend this review on the type of sushis you'll find, as the key point for going to Sho-Dan and any other sushi place, is the freshness. Of course the fish and all other meats, but also the vegetables, mixes and sauces they come with. On this last note, Sho-Dan shines. Simple. So if you find yourself downtown Montreal, a few steps away from the core, this is the only Sushi restaurant I can suggest. As for cost, without the alcohol, the bill should be around 30-40 per person which is not cheap, but then again, do you really want cheap sushis? read more

So what do you do when you get to Montreal and your favorite sushi place is closed for a private function? arrrrrgh......well you go to your second favorite spot, Sho-dan. To start with, Sho-dan comes under the "you get what you pay for" mantra which means you pay a lot, for the freshest and most creative sushi. For you standard nigiri lovers, you will be looking at approximately $4.00 per piece. However the magic at Sho-dan is not in the standard nigiri sushi, aburi sushi or sashimi, but in the creative maki rolls like Black Dragon and Kiss rolls. I highly recommend both. For the best experience, go to their website http://sho-dan.com and have a look at their menu. I haven't had a bad Specialty Roll. The Haru Maki (spring rolls) are a nice appetizer and the set dinners are also good. They have two floors and in the winter, its a little cozier upstairs. They also have a private room for 8 to 20 people. Overall the tables and chairs are very comfortable and major points for still having table cloths! The service is great and the food is always of the highest quality and the presentation is thoughtful. In terms of ambiance I prefer Zenya, however I hate when restaurants shut down for special functions. While I understand the concept, leaving even a small part open for regular guests or allowing takeout is good for business. Having said that, it will be hard to choose next time I'm back in Montreal. read more

This is the first sushi place I've had in Montreal and I was not disappointed! Everything that we ordered was fresh and so delicious! The servers were kind and although we did not have a reservation we were still accommodated. read more

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Some of the best sushi I've had! Really creative pieces and dishes I've never had before. Great combination of sauces as well. Love especially how their sushi is wrapped in lettuce..so you really get the taste of the fish vs the rice. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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I wasn't impressed at all with this place. There are WAY better sushis than that in Montreal! I don't get how they don't even have specialized cocktails, yet they serve Pina Coladas...Wine selection is large but very cliché, nothing special there. We asked the waitress for some food recommendations and she indicated the "most popular" rolls. How about you know your stuff and know exactly what to recommend? The sushis had a nice presentation but that's pretty much it. Completely tasteless. And some little annoying details, like Kikkoman soy sauce on the table? What kind of non-fast food restaurant puts cheap Kikkoman soy sauce on the table? At least hide it in some little jar or something. We were sitting by the mezzanine and the decor was dull. There was no music...on a Friday night. We had a bad experience overall, will not return. At that price range ($18 a roll), you can and you should get better. I have no problem spending on amazing food but I hate getting screwed. read more

solid offering - you can do better food reviews from 2010 and01 were spot on, though i didn't think1 star is a fair rating...5 of us went there for dinner upon a recommendation....server said not possible to get california style roll unless we had "maki" (seaweed cone)- then they served it on another person's plate.... my order was also messed up - told the senior person on our section "no mayo or spicy rolls - just fish" the plate came back with a big mayo dressed mixture on it - promptly sent it back..... a place that charges $40 a person pre tip should have better service than this... read more

Excellent sushi place. Their sashimi is extremely fresh and the rolls are creative and equally well done. A bit on the expensive side, but worth a visit. read more

While the decor is fashionable and professional, and the service is pleasant, the food is bland, over priced and the portions far too small. It is has great ambiance and wonderful decor (although not something I would associate with Japanese decor) and the service was very efficient, polite and proper. I left feeling hungry, unsatisfied and to be honest, upset. The food was too small, especially for the price tag. It was bland and disappointing. I ordered the salmon teriyaki - tiny piece of salmon, almost no teriyaki seasoning on it, and it was dry. Did I mention it was too small? Although I had a fun time because of the group I was with, the food was a major let down. I do not recommend this place at all. The only reason it got 2 stars was because of the service and decor. It is a "see and be seen" place, obviously not for the quality or taste of food. I will not go back. read more

Had a wonderful experience at Sho-dan! My boyfriend and I went for date night and had such a wonderful meal. I would highly recommend getting the lips (tuna tartar on top of a fried basil leaf), the Phoenix, and the Besame mucho. All were fantastic. The atmosphere was perfect for a nice dressed up date night without being too stuffy. Loved it! read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - The lips. Tuna on top of a fried basil leaf. To die for! - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Probably some of the best sushi in Montreal. I have been coming here for a while and you probably won't match the quality Sho Dan has to offer. Best roles include the tuna flower, Besame Mucho and Lips. The simple stuff is great too. All around quality as far as the food goes. There are also TVs which is convenient, although the restaurant could benefit from some aesthetic renovations to keep the younger/new clientele more interested. read more

No complaints whatsoever about the sushi. Try the Phoenix it's one of the more popular ones on the menu. A lot more suits during the day due to its location. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - The Phoenix - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Sushi is good. Food takes SOOOOOOOOOOO long. So long like an hour. If you're in any rush don't come here read more

Love this place so much I come once a week at least. Ask for the chef specialties, all their specialty rolls are incredible!

While I only went there during lunch, this Japanese restaurant was always consistently very good. The fish is always of excellent quality and the service is great. Well worth the price. read more

Restaurant Sho-dan - Japanese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Great place for sushi, the food is always fresh and tasty. The restaurant is located downtown Montréal and its well decorated. The choice of sushi is not exhaustive but you find a good variety. They also offer a variety of cooked meal. Perfect place for a business meeting for lunch or a family or friend dinner. read more

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I was just here for a workday lunch with a newborn baby and I gotta say, I was relieved and very pleased by the service. After trying to get reservations at places that flat out told us no babies, our hopes were not set super high for this mid-week scheme. But Sho-Dan sat us so the stroller could be comfortably next to mom, never rushed or shushed the little squaller, and served up the chef's sushi special quick, fresh and quite delicious. Everyone was in suits and the scene was white and grey to match, but the overall vibe was smiling, casual and friendly, maybe because the people who needed to be in private rooms for hardworkin' lunches had that option so they weren't on the floor with the rest of us? Anyway, whatever it was, it was satisfying and much appreciated. read more

This place is like Japanese food for white people. The food is terrible and expensive. Very bad service. Took reminding 4 times to get some ice water. read more

I was here twice. The first time, my friend from Montreal wanted to introduce me to a "hip sushi joint" so she took me to Shodan. We had four of the specialty rolls- I don't remember all of the names, but one was like pizza with tuna as topping. Tuna was dry at the edges, watery and tasteless. We had mango tango, which was ok- nothing too great. Maybe an extra point for the novelty (shrimp tempura & mango) and presentation, but nothing extraordinary about the taste. The other two were pretty much the same- looks pretty and different, but didn't taste anywhere near amazing to deserve the price. Between the two of us, we paid $90 something for four specialty rolls including tax & tip for lunch. Then I took one of my friends, because she wanted sushi for dinner and this was the only sushi place I knew that was within walking distance from my apartment. We had 5 regular rolls - salmon rollx2, California roll, negihama roll, shrimp tempura roll- a miso soup, a green salad, and green tea. The bill came up to be about $75 including tax and tip. Fish were of decent quality. Decent service. Tea was good. Miso soup sucked. Salad was ok. Definitely not meeting the expectation for the price. For all the hype, is this the best you can do Montreal? Really? read more

Had dinner here with a large group in a private space upstairs. The food, I thought, was excellent. Tried the tempura shrimp and a number of different of specialty rolls during a cocktail hour. Everything was amazing. For dinner I had a platter of different types of sushi and rolls. The fish was fresh and soft, but a little on the thin side. read more

PROS: 1. Service is quick. 2. I think this resto caters to a Westerner demographic and makes sushi seem...chic-ier? However it was just nooot my scene. CONS: 1. Sushi was nothing special. Indistinguishable from one of those take home sushi containers from a mall sushi booth. Incredibly overpriced. 2. I personally felt the decor was more suited for serving Italian food and found it odd to eat sushi there. I prefer more authentic presentations (refer to Jiro's resto in Tokyo for the real deal). OVERALL -I wasn't impressed and don't recommend it for sushi read more

4 stars because this place is pricey. Food was awesome! Really fresh, unique and so tasty. Probably the best sushi place I have ever been to.I had the Besame mucho and a crispy tofu appetizer. I definitely recommend those dishes. If you're feeling fancy, go there :) read more

Wait staff is very attentive and the atmosphere is jazzy and dim. The gyoza were very good and flavorful. The sushi I had was also good and I will be going back to try their teriyaki. read more

Really excellent sushi. But please choose the specials and not the normal sushi (like California). Also some very interesting combination, like sushi ingredients on a taco. I like it! read more

Excellent quality food and service. Our first trip to Montreal from Ann Arbor, Michigan and were glad to find this little gem in the middle of a busy section. read more

It is not some gourmet sushi restaurant but great sushi for the price. Lots of variety in their specialty rolls. Overall great place for dinner. read more

Ate there many times but certainly not eating there again. They close at 11pm on weekends. They said on the phone that there last order is 10:45pm. Went at 10:30pm but was turned away. Lazy lazy staff... read more

By FAR the best sushis I've eaten! And service was A1... and we had take-out! Would order again anytime! read more