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Shokunin

4.2 (199 reviews)
Closed • Closed

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SHOKUNIN ATMOSPHERE

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Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating

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Jon C.

damn. i feel like it would be a crime to rate this joint anything less than a 5. i was that impressed. we came here after a long weekend at banff and just wanted to relax. didn't think we'd find some bomb ass japanese fusion food in the middle of calgary. nice atmosphere and service was top notch. i believe this place has seasonal food, and when we went, we were lucky enough to enjoy a meal prepared in collaboration with a chef from overseas. its been a while since i've been here, but if there was one thing i remember, it was that their scallops were devine. legit tasted like they were picked right from heaven. never had anything like it and i would honestly fly to calgary again just to taste it once more.

Courtney F.

Wowowowow. We did the Omakase and omg. This meal was freaking fantastic. We got seated at the bar with one other couple and had great service all night. We did the drink pairing which was a must, it was so cool. I'm not a huge seafood eater but won't say no to specialty items. The starter was an imported scallop and omg it melted in my mouth. Every single course was explained so well and so tasty and full of flavor. I wish I could eat this meal every night. Literally a perfect dinner. Highly, highly recommend.

Excellent in every way. I had the omakase menu with drink pairings. More food than I'd imagined but with a great view of the kitchen and such high quality ingredients and cooking I enjoyed the experience very much. Recommended for anyone

Drummette, skin on chicken breast, sea bass belly, salmon belly
Lily N.

Stopped by for a late night bite after dinner since there was a wait around 8pm. Ambiance is quick and modern, food is WELL DONE. Skewers were cooked perfectly, including drummette and skin on chicken breast. They run out of many different chicken pieces so come early if you are hoping to try something in particular. Sushi was also very good, we got the sablefish, salmon belly, and hand cut scallop with nuoc cham as recommended by our server. Sushi was torched so it was nice, fatty, melt in your mouth. Scallop was AMAZING with bright lime, vinegar, sugar, fish sauce-based sauce on top. Everything was delicious but a bit pricy since you order everything by the piece. Our server and host were the sweetest. I would definitely come back just be prepared to spend a bit to really enjoy what they have to offer!

Amy D.

Our first meal after landing was shokunin-- we came straight here and it did not disappoint The staff were sweet and was able to take our luggage away for us while we dined Everything we had was top notch. Every dish was well seasoned and the combinations were great. I wish we came here earlier in the day as lots of the chicken skewers we wanted were gone. Will definitely be back. Some highlights: - drinks 5/5 - nigiri 5/5 - skewers 5/5 Some lowlights: -Broccolini 3.5/5, a bit dry and burnt - rice/beef fat and eggs 3.5/5 a bit underwhelming

Ass
Chester C.

I didn't have much hopes coming out to Calgary for dinning. Decided on this place bc of reviews and Japanese food. Well worth the experience. I see the menu they do a little play on parts of chicken, i didn't have a ton of expectations. I figure it was more of a trendy establishment for cocktails. Yakatori probably some of the best I've had. Nothing In LA was this good. That oyster meat with part of the skin, juicy hot and tender (still reminiscing). Next was the Ass I mean who doesn't love some Ass the butt meat. That's what all the free range running is for. Bison takaki is lean like beef jerky definitely good texture. As for the Wagyu Sando as described aged and smoked than grilled, packed with flavor feels like pastrami but all wagyu. If you can't decide when you're in town, this is probably a must

Kemi M.

I am a super fan of the show Final Table and was so excited to finally try Chef Darren's restaurant. To begin I must say I saw him working in the kitchen and requested a photo with him through a server at the end of my meal. Unfortunately he declined to take a picture which left a sour taste in my mouth. After all I booked a reservation 4-6 weeks in advance and flew from out of town! Now on to the food! The scallop was delicious as a starter! Very fresh and all the flavors were incredible together. I got the small sashimi platter which was $42. A great price especially for how fresh the fish was. The sable fish sushi pcs was also a major hit across the table! I got a variety of yakatori which were delightful, unfortunately they were sold out of the most popular ones such as the chicken ass and oyster. I did get the rice ball as a side which was underwhelming as it was very burnt and under-seasoned. I advised the waitress who mentioned it was cooked on a charcoal grill. Regardless, I know it was well overdone. Overall I think I hyped myself up for the restaurant. The food was good but if you're hoping to get greeted by chef Darren don't bet on it.

ora king salmon nigiri
Isabel C.

Shokunin is a restaurant I'd been highly anticipating for a few reasons - The biggest one being that the owner and creator of Shokunin, Darren Maclean actually dined at a popular Japanese restaurant that I work at and I heard from the server that he was keen on comparing our sources of ingredients and basically hyped up his own restaurant. Given that he was a finalist on the Netflix competition show (The Final Table), I was intrigued with his talent and super excited to try this restaurant especially since I love Japanese food. First and foremost, service and ambiance was amazing. Our server was really sweet and gave us a full explanation of the menu and food all came promptly with full descriptions of the food. Now onto the food...I really want to give the benefit of the doubt because I do know that the menu tends to change routinely so maybe we just didn't catch it at a good time. The friends I had dined with last night said the first time they went they had a good time. However this time, we all thought it just wasn't the best. Buttermilk chicken kaarage - Crispy texture was there but it was way too salty, the shredded daikon (?) on the side was good and it was the only thing that made this dish slightly better. Charred avocado - My mom had this dish and she said it had good texture especially the nori chip, but in terms of the flavour of the avocado it was slightly lacking. Yakitori - I tried the beef tongue and skin on thigh (not pictured) and it was quite good (smoky flavour and juicy texture) but just a tad small. Ora king salmon nigiri - This one was amazing and very on par with sushi in Vancouver. Rich fatty texture that just melts in your mouth but still with a slight chew. 10/10! Salmon tartar roll - Hmmmm, taste was good but it wasn't anything special and I felt a lot of Korean flavour profiles with this roll...Felt like I was eating at Gami Sushi (all my Richmond locals know this) except the quality of fish was better. Braised yakiniku style pork belly - This dish was tasty but I was very confused with where the style was going. There was gochujang and pickled vegetable that basically tasted like kimchi on the side but there was also miso butter corn (this was fire btw) and lettuce and rice??? It didn't feel put together well. Pork belly had good flavour but was slightly dry. Tokyo Bellini - (sorry no pic) My friend has this bellini and it was lovely! He said the flavours of sweetness, peach and Prosecco were perfectly balanced and very enjoyable. Overall, I'm a bit sad that the restaurant didn't live up to my expectations but maybe next time I'm in town, I'll give it another chance.

Chicken knees
Derek J.

This became the reason for my road trip from Vancouver. Originally had planned to go to the Stampede, but that didn't happen for obvious reasons. Then I decided to try as many restaurants on the Canada 100 Best list (#1 in Calgary) and I knew about the chef from "Final Table" on Netflix (he was robbed, IMHO) Chef Darren and his staff are attentive and approachable. They know their menu intricately and the passion shows in both the service and the food. I sat at the bar where I could see the kitchen working in perfect harmony producing delicious works of art to guests. I'm not kidding when I say I felt like a guest at someone's house - the vibe is comfortable with 90s and 00s hip hop on the playlist, audible even on the patio on the way in. I'd talk about the food, but words will fail to describe the seemingly endless supply of soul in each bite. Definitely worth the long drive from Vancouver! I'll be back with everyone I know!

Dumplings
Alisha K.

As soon as I knew I was moving to Calgary, I had to look up must visit restaurants and Shokunin always showed up on the lists! So I went to shokunin to celebrate my first weekend of Calgary and it was worth it! The place was busy but the service was still very fast and the staff checked in on us often. The menu is small as they have their specialities but almost every single thing we tried was incredible. My favourites: The fresh sushi they offer is incredible, you must try it. The salmon belly was my favourite, we had to order a second round. The braised beef gyoza, sweetbread, shoulder blade, chicken hearts, and shiitake skewers, ruri nasu (eggplant) and sake tiramisu were to die for. The cocktails were refreshing and complimented the food well. Wouldn't order again: the only thing we ordered and did not like were the miso tenders yakitori, it was dry. I would skip that and stick to organ meats next time. The portions are small ofcourse, but we were still full at the end of everything. I can't wait to go to shokunin again to try their ramen and other yakitori offerings!

Wagyu salami sando
Janice H.

I'm from out of town & was last here about 3 yrs ago for an amazing meal and have been dreaming about returning to this place ever since. Finally made it back to YYC and I had to go back. So glad to see they thrived through this crazy pandemic. This place is like a Japanese tapas restaurant so be prepared to be wowed in a big way with small dishes meant to share. Got the best seat in the house beside the kitchen & expedite station. The owner, Chef Darren, was working tonite and the kitchen was running like a well oiled machine. We started with amazing cocktails, mine was a light refreshing one with lime & ginger. You have to try everything you can that comes grilled. When a chef can elevate a simple avocado to perfection by grilling it and pairing with unique flavours, you know he's super talented. The grilled broccolini was a delightful way to get your veggies. We also had some amazing unique sushi with sea bass & sablefish and griiled yellowfin. There are many cuts of chicken you can get skewered & charbroiled. Get the crispy thighs, oyster & ass. Don't question...just do it. I need to come back just to try every single cut of chicken skewered & grilled. The braised beef gyoza is also another popular item they have managed make a thing of beauty and to elevate to a new height. The eggplant & goat cheese tempura was divine and it took real restraint not to get another order. The bone marrow & escargot are two things you'd never see together but OMG they complimented each other so well. But what they do with wagyu beef is unbelievable and was our absolute favourite. It involves smoking & then 3 days of sousvide. The wagyu pastrami sando had us totally bowled over. The beef was melting in our mouths like butter. It's kind of like a square slider on grilled milk bread, if the slider was made in heaven. (See pic and menu description). Finished off with the miso creme brûlée for dessert...it's one of their specialties and perfect for sharing. Seriously, we were there for 3 hours and tried almost everything on the menu. We weren't leaving the tiniest bit of empty space in our tummies. Both of us have been in the food & beverage industry for 20 yrs so it takes a lot to surprise us with something unique but we were blown away how such an amazing restaurant we previously can now be further elevated to be so incredibly epic. We've had many great meals in many different cities but my 6 hr commute to YYC was worth it just for this meal. Bravo Chef Darren...you are a culinary genius and know that your staff are so awesome too. Get out and support local talent like this. And get a seat at the chefs table so you can drool firsthand over every dish you see them put out. You can interact with a rockstar chef & owner if you are lucky to be there at the right time.

Victoria C.

I mainly came here not for the sushi - Calgary doesnt scream "sushi" to me. Instead, I tried the other items on the menu. The bone marrow was the best - I'd say order this! The textures and flavors were amazing. I'm not a bone marrow fan but I would order and recc this to others again. I also tried the beef tataki. If you like ponzu sauce, go for it. I think the ponzu was a bit overwhelming so that's all I tasted. There were toppings on it to add texture so I appreciated that. I dont think I'd get this one again. I did order two pieces of the albacore sushi and that was really good. If I wasnt eating two dinners tonight, I would have tried more sushi Skewers were solid. They give you a ponzu/yolk sauce that compliments it well. I tried the heart, oysters, and skin on thigh. Skin is always yummy hah Service was amazing. I dined on my own so they really made you feel welcomed. They also want you to experience the meal well so they will explain everything and reccomend different items. Cocktails were solid. The chef is also cooking in front of everyone so you can see him in action I'm probably biased due to ny prices but it was cheap for me here.

Cold shucked oysters

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The staff at Shokunin is top notch. One of our favorite restaurants in the city. The new Omakase menu is definitely worth checking out.

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Missy’s This That - 2017 Michel Lafarge Volnay Caillerets 1er Cru

Missy’s This That

(5 reviews)

A heaven for Burgundy lovers. And for Champagne lovers. And for German Riesling lovers. And Rhône…read morelovers. And Jerez lovers ! Book this for your next meeting with Jasper Morris, Anne Krebiehl and Peter Liem lol A very well researched selection, from Meursault villages to the most coveted 1ers & Grands Crus in white and red: Puligny, St. Aubin, Volnay, Pommard, Vosne-Romanee, Gevrey Chambertin, ... Lafarge, Hubert Lamy, Leflaive, Mugneret-Gibourg, Some excellent lower yield & early accessible vintages like the 2019. Not many bottles are older than 10 years, but a number of suppliers provide pretty much the rarest new stuff available in the region. Cold cuts, sardines and cheese served, the place is full of young young, smiling people listening to unobtrusive music. Make sure you find the stairs from the street level to get here. Oh, and they have Les Robarts by Suenen. I had to visit four wine stores in Champagne to get two bottles of that. Good luck finding that anywhere else.

Missy's was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday evening, but honestly, that's a whole vibe in and of…read moreitself too. We were greeted by a group of bartenders (who all happened to be wearing toques) when we walked in, and I felt both welcomed and slightly out of place (no toque). The cocktails were meticulously crafted--priced at $15-20 a drink, it's on par with bigger cities like Vancouver and Toronto, but they also live up to the standard. Honestly, the highlight of our visit to Missy's was the Missy's This That charcuterie board. Each piece of cured meat was sliced impossibly thin, the olives were meaty and delicious, and the cheeses were carefully selected to complement everything. I loved that it also came with a side of thick cut bread and pickled vegetables. One of the best charcuterie boards I've had at a restaurant for sure. Not cheap but worth the pretty penny on a slightly fancy night out.

Milpa

Milpa

(15 reviews)

One of the coolest restaurants I've been in for awhile, back lit arches give it a unique retro…read morevibe. We unfortunately got seated in the side room, not as good for people and kitchen watching but a nice room nonetheless. It was a busy Friday evening but service was a bit slow to start. We got water and our candle lit long before a cocktail menu. We'd ordered about five items, some shareable and two intended as mains, however they came in series with a bit of wait between them. I was with my wife so we shared everything but otherwise it may have been awkward. Drink menu is good, including several margaritas. My standard version was delicious and the second one was just as good! The food was really good. We had scallops, tuna, and prawns; all really good but the Tuna Tostada always amazing. Caesar salad was good but somewhat untraditional with pickled onion. The menu marks gluten free and dairy free, lots of gf options. Lots of menu items I'd like to try, will definitely be back.

Had a great experience here ! We had a reservation and got…read moresat straight away. Cool interior , slightly loud music playing. Our server was really friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Happy hour was a great deal with $6 margaritas and discount on single tacos. The chicken tacos were amazing as well as the pork belly chicharron. We had the el trip dip taster and found the guacamole to be amazing but the other two to be slightly plain but still good. The ceviche was fresh and played really well. I loved how you can choose two flavours + spicy for the soda or margaritas. Overall an incredible deal for the quality and quantity of food.

Porch - Teriketeri cheese

Porch

(76 reviews)

$$

I can't say enough about Porch! Such good food, and the ambiance is stunning. Especially for a nice…read moredinner with friends or if you're trying to impress a date. Their salmon was fantastic. I'm always scared it's going to be overcooked, because at many restaurants the fish usually is, but this was perfectly grilled and well seasoned. The bed of veggies underneath had a really nice, subtle flavor that complemented the fish without overpowering it. I also ordered their banana cocktail, which honestly surprised me. I didn't think I would ever like banana in a cocktail, but it was absolute heaven. Smooth, balanced, and not overly sweet. One of those drinks you think about ordering again halfway through. For food, I also had the braised short ribs, and they were excellent. Super tender, rich, and full of flavor. Definitely one of those comforting dishes that still feels elevated and well executed. The decor deserves its own mention. The space is warm, stylish, and thoughtfully designed, and there's an actual live tree inside the restaurant, which is such a cool touch. You can already tell this place must be incredible in the summer when everything is open and lively. Overall, Porch delivers on food, drinks, and atmosphere. Easily a spot I'd come back to, whether for dinner, drinks, or a special night out.

We were originally going to another brunch spot but they were way too busy so we looked up more…read moreoptions on Yelp and came across Porch. We saw they were going to open at 11am, and decided to try our luck by getting there right at opening since we didn't have a reservation. We got lucky and got seated right away! - PARKING - Street parking, make sure you take note of how long you paid for! - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - The ambiance inside is so nice and airy, with greenery and natural light shining through. There's also a super cute swing area next to the bar area that you can sit. I really liked the overall interior design! The staff was very attentive for our large party throughout our meal. There are bathrooms downstairs as well. - FOOD - Bacon Jam Benedict ($20.00): Loved the flavor combination in this! The sweet savory maple bacon jam worked so well! We upgraded to the fried potatoes ($4.00) and they were pretty tasty. Carrot Cake French Toast ($24.00): We got one to share with the table, and I'm glad we didn't commit because it was just OK to me. I wish there was more mascarpone filling, and also a different sauce than chocolate because it didn't pair well for me. Winter Nights ($19.00): We wanted to get some greens in and chose this salad. I enjoyed the mix of greens and also the fennel salami which gave a salty bite! Truffle Parm Fries ($13.00): We also got this to share with the table and you can't go wrong with these! - OVERALL - Great brunch option if you have a small or large group! Really nice airy ambiance for a nice start to your day.

Shokunin - japanese - Updated May 2026

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