I've always wanted to have Tojo san's California roll. Finally made it here! Had a fun experience with some friends to celebrate my retirement. Did not disappoint. Food was amazing and service was great. Took some pics with Tojo san too! It's pricey so this is definitely a special occasion restaurant for me. Sushi rice was well flavoured. Seafood fresh and glistening. Flavours were bold. Clean washrooms! read more

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I had the high honor and distinct pleasure of meeting Mr. Hidekazu Tojo, owner and chef of Tojo's Restaurant. After a brief interview of my background and food preferences Mr. Tojo commenced preparing and serving the six course Omakase dinner. Tojo's focuses on local ingredients and their course pairings were perfect from beginning to end. My favorite was the cedar smoked Sable fish but the Sashimi & Sushi we're both world class. I have dined multiple times in some of the top sushi restaurants in both Kyoto and Tokyo and believe Tojo's to be of equal or greater stature with any of them. Admittedly, my opinion maybe a bit biased by the fact the Mr. Tojo took the time to converse with me throughout the meal - the customer service that he and his team provided was exceptional. read more

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The women's washroom has 4 stalls and adequate privacy. Like the restaurant, the decor is simple and clean. The washroom itself is also very clean and the relaxing music makes it even more pleasant. The large mirrored wall and good lighting make it easy to adjust your make up. The faucets are automatic, but the paper towels and soap are not. 4 out of 5 flushes. read more

Tojo's - Women's washroom at Tojos - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We had an amazing dining experience here at Tojo's. The food was delicious and the service was incredible. I definitely recommend checking this place out! The bluefin tuna and the wagyu is incredible. All the seafood is so good. read more

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I was taken here for a special outing and was told it would be a most memorable experience. It was, but not in the way intended. The restaurant is lovely. Seating is comfortable. Service is good. Chef Tojo introduced himself initially and then went to the kitchen and never reappeared. For me, an omakase experience is largely based on the chef. His absence was a drawback to my enjoyment of the experience. The food was okay. Two dishes of the six were nice. Nothing was spectacular. A sable fish and prawn course was served in a messy aluminum foil wrap and the prawn was so overcooked it was rubbery. I would have left it but I was trying to be polite to my friend who was treating me. After we left we discussed our meal and I learned she felt the same. Lesson learned, better to be honest than polite. Along with the aluminum wrapped course there was a small serving of white fish tempura and another of a deep fried oyster. Too much cooked and deep fried for my taste. At a premium omakase meal I look for the best quality, well prepared fresh fish. There were a few pieces of California roll, three very good slices of tuna sashimi and a lobster hand cone. The courses I've described along with dessert formed the entire meal. Nothing had impressed me, and I was still hungry. Dessert was heavy, as if they knew you'd still be hungry and would need to fill up on dessert, rather than the dinner satisfying the appetite and dessert being light and refreshing. The cost was far above the food choices or chef experience. The value is underwhelming. There is about $50 of food and a whopping four times that amount for preparation, presentation and the chef's name. It was an okay experience and nothing more. Food quality was good, not exceptional, and the overcooked prawn was terrible. Appetite satisfaction was lacking. The regular menu might be fine but the omakase is not worth the cost. My friend was wishing to show me a special time and she not only understood my disappointment but also agreed that it had not been up to the standard she'd previously experienced. Chef Tojo has a renowned reputation that he chose not to share on the night we went. Maybe his restaurant has changed or maybe it's hit-and-miss. A work of caution, ask questions about the chef's choices before agreeing to the steep upfront price. From my experience I don't recommend it. read more

This place is definitely way to overrated! I know there were extreme reviews - some Loving it and the others on the opposite side of the spectrum. I come from So Cal and I've had many many Japanese cuisine before; from Japan Ryokans, Omakase to the best in Tokyo and throughout. Tojo's is NOTHING near it. It can fool the average bear or Wanna-Be's but it can't fool me. It was average to subpar at best. All the reviews that I read that awarded less than 4/5 stars was correct. This place was not worth the money. Quality is a lot better at Blue Water Grill. Service was good though; not pushy and touched our table. Obviously Tojo and the other sous Chefs chatter with the non-Asians to suck up to them but all the Japanese lady servers were extremely nice and also checked on us. They switched new plates for us often too. None of the dishes really stood out. Or I've had something better at another place. The U-10 ish scallop was over grilled along with the tiny prawns that came with the 6-course Omakase. Seabream presentation was super nice but I think it was steamed a bit too long. My favorite hotate nigiri didn't taste delish nor fresh. Sorry, this place just doesn't do it for me. Wasted my $$$. Thanks to the other Yelpers- we didn't order hot tea ($6) nor fresh wasabi ($15)!!! read more

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Of course this place lived up to the hype! Tried the Ode to Anthony Bourdain Omakase menu, which they graciously made gluten free for me. It was lovely. A beautiful mix of flavours that spoke of local tastes, just what an Omakase menu should be. Also, as we are mid pandemic, the restaurant is set up will for social distancing and the wait staff are wearing nearly hazmat suites so I felt quite comfortable. read more

Tojo's - Dungeness crab salad. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Tojo is a legend and I finally made the effort to dine at this restaurant. I had booked this restaurant for my date's birthday dinner. We ordered a number of items to share. Our server made some recommendations as well. The ambiance was elegant. The service was attentive for the most part. Our server forgot my drink order and I had to ask her where it was. She offered complimentary dessert because the drink order took so long. That was a very nice gesture. Somehow they forgot to wish my date a happy birthday as I saw staff doing so for other customers. The seafood was very fresh. The food presentation was beautiful. However, I found the prices a bit on the steep side when there are so many other Japanese options at a lower price range. I would only considering this a special occasions type of restaurant because our bill was over $200 for two people and we did not eat a lot. read more

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Once again had a great life pleasure of eating at this amazing restaurant. Eat here five or six times a year and always graciously greeted like the best customer they have. Omakase at the bar, OUTSTANDING! The house Sake to start, always delicious, chilled to perfection (I know this sounds trite, but in this case so true). Followed by brilliant dishes of sablefish, tuna, lobster, salmon... end of meal sweets... Each presentation more outstanding than the previous one. Would you eat a Picasso? A Litchenstein? Eating at Tojo's is like eating the finest art the world has created. No matter what the price is here (and it's not for the faint of heart!) I always walk away feeling that I got great value. read more

Tojo's has always been something special and this time was no different. We went out for a birthday dinner and was seated in a private booth. Everything from ambience to the server to the food was just absolutely incredible. We started the meal with Tojo's Tuna and it set such a high standard which the rest of the meal not only lived up to but exceeded. My other favourites have be the Lobster Temaki, Baker Oysters, Scallop and Asparagus Temaki. Get some sake with your meal as it will pair well with anything on the menu. Definitely a must-go for a special occasion, will definitely come back again! read more

Have walked by here so many times and finally got around to trying it out for dinner! Was at FedEx a few blocks down so Tojo's was in the top few recommended by Yelp. Called to see if they would be able to fit 2 in right away. Didn't have my hopes up (figured from other reviews that they would be fully booked Saturday night at 8pm), but about 20 rings later, Tojo himself (I think? Maybe? Actually, no, more likely "This is Tojo's") picked up and said to come on by! Walking in, I really did feel like I was instantly transported to an oasis of calm and yummy. The interior is understated blues and greys, very spacious and open. Background music sounded like a classical lullaby - and I say all that to say, Tojo's is a great place to come if you want to relax and just talk to your dinner companion(s) in a civilized manner, i.e., without shouting. I pretty much knew I was going to give 5 stars even before the food came. Was not very hungry but wanted to try the chef's tasting menu (available in 5 courses, 6 courses, or supreme). However, our server recommended ordering a la carte given that we were mostly interested in sashimi. Ended up ordering seaweed salad ($20), shrimp sashimi (in season only for 2 weeks - $60), scallop sashimi ($48), and chef's sashimi selection ($55). Everything was as fresh and delicious as expected, although I have to admit that I'm not sure how much skill and expertise goes into preparing sashimi (probably more than I am thinking). Anyway, the presentation was beautiful, I didn't get sick during or after the meal, and the prices put me at ease that the seafood was of top freshness and quality. Walked away feeling like this is a new favourite. Total was $249 for 2, after tax, tip, and the special wasabi (I couldn't tell the difference between this and the wasabi I've had elsewhere.....it was pretty but I don't think I would order it again...). This block of Broadway is noisy and run-down, but inside Tojo's is just the opposite! And it's also pretty huge, so you can probably walk in without a reservation (plenty of empty tables while I was there). read more

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My husband met Tojo San when he was 13 yrs old, my husband known Toja San for 37 years. Since then he's been going there with his friends. until i met my husband he took many times tojo's restaurant when they were on ash street upstairs. We always enjoyed everytime we dine here. Our daughter is turned 8 years old. We celebrated her Birthday at Tojo's. Our daughter was tickle pink. At the end, she told Tojo San, " See you next year on my 9th Bday. For sure, we will be going back to eat here before that, perhaps on Tojo San Birthday. Actually, i did make a three layers chocolate pate for his birthday at one time, i got to go in Tojo's kitchen, it was awesome. I will include the photo of our Omakase. read more

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This looked like a good place to eat from all the reviews from both professional and yelp users. Unfortunately, the food does not live up to all the hype. Actually the food was very disappointing and very overpriced. Started with the Tojo's tuna appetizer. This was just a small amount of tuna in a bowl with some sauce pile over it. Then along came the Assorted Nigiri sushi. This was a big disappointed. It looked like any other assorted sushi at other sushi but with an inflated price of $55 for 6 little pieces. It came with another 6 tiny pieces of tuna maki roll. The presentation was horrible, it was just bits of sushi on a big plate. Nothing else was added to make the presentation better. Finally, the golden roll came at about the same time. This was a bit better as they did make a little bit of effort with the presentation and taste. It did look better than the assorted sushi and it did taste better. I don't think it is worth $28. Also, ordered the green tea which was very good tasting. Is it worth paying $6 for a tea bag that probably cost 10 cents? This place is not worth a repeat visit at these inflated prices. Shizen Ya across the street has better quality at much lower prices. read more

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What a shame. This was once a world class sushi restaurant, if not a standard set for any other Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. Now? Well lets just say that if I wanted b-grade, pre-made, pre-rolled sushi I would buy a $10 bento box at the mall, not spend $200 per person on an Omakase sitting. For half the time, Tojo simply socialized while his minions brought out refrigerated trays of pre-made, pre rolled sushi platters from the kitchen, then had the arrogance to let his clientele sit watching as he merely placed these pre-made pieces of sushi on individual settings and present them as Omakase. And also bill you as such. A shadow of its former self, you know you have a problem when your sushi sat in the fridge longer than your beer. I came here often in the 2006-2008 era and brought clients left and right. We, everyone I took - loved this place. The fish quality, prep and presentation was top shelf and as such you didn't mind, even expected the high price at the end of the meal. The last few years have clearly been way too kind to Tojo - but not his brand. Tojo quite obviously doesn't even need to pretend to try anymore, and can get away with using lower grade fish, pre-made sushi rolls and while doing so, also bill high prices to what appeared to be mostly uninformed tourists. Sadly, this comes at a cost. That being Tojo no longer has a great or even what I would consider a good Vancouver restaurant - but just a great tourist trap, rip off. Never again. read more

Tojo's - Tojo. Unpacking my Sushi and billing it as Omakase. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We made a reservation here for 10 people to mark a friends celebration. On arrival we conveyed the importance of the night to the server who responded with "I've obviously done this before", which was entitled and dismissive. Throughout the night, all our plates arrived at different times, so one person ate alone while everyone else chatted and waited. The server didn't track who ordered what menu items, so they constantly interrupted us while we were telling stories with an abrupt "who ordered this?" As I went to the washroom, several servers stopped me to ask if we had received such and such plates yet. Very bizarre and chaotic. Sure, the food itself was nicely presented with fresh ingredients, but no single item was worth its price tag. It is extremely pricey compared to equally satisfying hole-in-the-wall Japanese joints. The portions are average. Our whole experience was ruined by the disorganized manner the staff operated in, the atrocious service, and the snarky attitude of one of our servers. Tojo's has a long way to go before it can call itself a premium restaurant, and even still, we won't step foot in here again. read more

I've been to Tojo's several times throughout my time. It's a very high quality Japanese restaurant with minimal decor/ambience but excellent food. The chef is often there and he does care a lot. Drinks are tasty and unique (although I wish for a bigger selection of fresh tasting cocktails) and service is top notch. The halibut cheeks, filet mignon, nigiri and sablefish soup are all outstanding. Whenever I've gone here with other people, the reviews are always rave when we order a la carte and less so for Omakase. The menu has good variety and choices so I do really recommend the a la carte because the hot dishes are actually incredible and the a la carte sushi is really good and you can focus on getting what you want (otoro!!!) :) read more

Everything made here is thoughtful and delicate. Came here for New Year's Eve and it did not disappoint. Started off with the celebration roll- very fresh and the flavours came together very nicely. The star of the show was Tojos Tuna-amazing. The fish simply melts in your mouth. You don't even need to chew it. Well seasoned and so fresh. The marinade was perfect. read more

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We had a group with reservations, and we were looking forward to the evening. After a couple of courses, the fire alarm went off so everyone had to leave. This is a restaurant of course so these things can happen. But what happened next is inexcusable and sign of arrogance that comes from success. The BC fire marshal at the scene would not let us return. We were standing outside, and Tojo's insisted on payment for drinks (reasonable) and pro rata payment and tip for the part of the meal eaten. And no apology about the inconvenience. All true. We finished dining that evening elsewhere. No one in our party has plans to return. read more

Super over priced, some dishes are good (like the Kobe beef, which is tasty but don't think it's real Kobe), but it's definitely not worth $200 for one dish. Fish isn't nearly as fresh as many other places in vancouver... They say they invented the California roll... Impossible. Never going here again. If u still don't want to listen to me, get the omakase so you don't blame yourself and say "why did I order this dish" lol blame the chef! read more

Tojo's - The wagyu was the best, but not worth 200. The fishes all had funny textures, toro was hard, other fishes were too soft. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Disappointingly terrible. There are much better places in the city, for a fraction of the price (seriously). I am a sushi aficionado and was so excited try what has been heralded as Vancouver's best sushi restaurant. The sashimi was more fishy than expected and the rolls very average. What was the most unbelievable was that Tojo was spotted talking to the table behind us for the entirety of our meal. Not once did we see him go behind the counter to prepare food or speak to the chefs! You know a restaurant is starting to go downhill when the head chef doesn't make food anymore. Gomae and Tojo's tuna: the gomae was average, and the tuna was probably the best part of the meal. Tojo roll: kind of a variation of the California roll with dungeness crab, spinach, and something else. This wasn't bad. Assorted sashimi: consisted of yellowtail, snapper, salmon, albacore tuna, and blue fine tuna. Nice presentation, but sadly the salmon was a bit frozen, and everything else was more fishy than expected. Assorted nigiri: there was way too much wasabi in the nigiri, especially the scallop nigiri. They put mint leaves and wasabi in the tuna roll too, which I felt overpowered the tuna. We also ordered crab and tamago nigiri, which was just mediocre. 2/5 stars since it's better than your average local joint but not by too much. For the price, it was very disappointing. I have had better at Sushi Hachi, Octopus Garden, and Ajisai for a fraction of the price. I should have listened to the recent reviewers when they said that Tojo's is going downhill. Save yourself the trouble (and the money) and go to Sushi Hachi or something else instead. read more

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My Omakase experience at Tojo's was like the first time I saw M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense. Allow me to explain.... The first course, a cake of Tuna Tartar with diced mountain potatoes and organic cucumber, bathed in ponzu sauce and topped with radish shards was a strong opener that promised more, like that first scene where Bruce Willis gets knifed in the gut by that guy from NKOTB. The second course--a sliced shiitake mushroom on a fish cake-like base served with a wedge of mashed daikon radish and shichimi, all marinating in a mushroom broth--was akin to Bruno's developing estrangement from his wife and his meeting with Haley Joey "I Still Look The Same At 22" Osment. The deliciousness of the mystery would indeed be continued, and in fact promised even greater reward. The third course, a crab salad, was like finding out about all the dead people floating around. I was surprised, but not in a pleasant way. I didn't like where this "let's freak people out with cheap scares" shtick was taking me, and the dish eventually ended up in the "been there, done that" category. Fourth course--halibut cheek with shiitake mushrooms, red pepper, all in a sweet glaze with orange zest, accompanied by a Dynamite handroll--was right about time I took a quick bathroom break. Hey, it's just more dead people hanging in the school-former-asylum; call me when Osment starts enlightening Brucie on why he always gets sh*tty service at restaurants. Fifth course was a near return to form: Smoked black cod and mushrooms all steamed underneath a paper wrapper wrapped with twine. This was right around the part where HJO figures out that the only way he can get the deceased to shut up is to help them settle their unfinished business. Jeez, barely 12 and the kid's turned into a Walmart greeter. Still, signs are once again pointing to a killer ending. Sixth and final course was a selection of sushi (finally, raw in a sea of cooked food!) including an omelette roll Chef Tojo created a few decades earlier to keep inexperienced diners from gagging on the taste of seaweed. This was right around when Bruce bids our now-destined-for-a-TLC-reality-show-contract child hero adieu, declaring him fit for middle school and puberty. All's well that ends well, I always say. No harm done. The dessert, however, was completely unexpected: Green tea creme brulee with fresh fruit. This was like Bruce's wife dropping the ring, the ensuing gasps heard 'round the theater, followed an hour or so later by the discovery of the red doorknob visual cue as revealed by an observant film geek friend. Satisfying and rewarding, the dessert knocked the rating up by a full star. read more

Tojo's - Tuna tartar with mountain potatoes, organic cucumber, radish shards in a ponzu sauce - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I go here on special occasions. It's not that it's crazy expensive, but it does have a certain feel to it that speaks $$$. It's Vancouver Sushi at its best. No cream cheese in anything here!! My last visit was on my 40th bday and I was treated to a bday song and a specially signed card from Tojo himself! Our sashimi platter was presented in an insane ice sculpture- so so cool! We drank Sake (huge sake menu) and tried beer from Japan (not Sapporo or Asahi!). While I haven't sat at the sushi counter, it is certainly my next choice. There is a specific menu designed by the sushi chef, which allows you to interact with your chef and sample the delicacies they are known for! Enjoy and open your mind to trying something new - oh - and if you like wasabi, spend the extra $14 on REAL wasabi! read more

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Decided to end the year with a dinner at Tojo's. We went for the 5 course omakase aka 'I'll leave it to you (chef)'. We started off with a pot of tea ($6) which was a bit pricier than other places (as expected) but didn't taste any more special than the regular Japanese tea. They do a good job in refilling our pot and pouring our tea every time they noticed our cups being empty to near empty. I did want to order a drink but our server took my drinks menu away before I even got to look at it after I told her I'd start off with some tea. I never bothered to ask her back for it. Omakase for the night was: -Salmon Sashimi (2/5): I was away from the table so I missed out on the detailed description of our dish but when I asked I was told it was salmon and sashimi which I thought was pretty obvious. Why the low rating? It didn't taste fresh. It wasn't the normal sashimi so I'm wondering if they cured it in salt as part of the fish was cooked. And the vinaigrette that sit at the bottom didn't exactly go well with it. -Soba noodles (4/5): At first for a meat lover, I was skeptical especially a less than average sashimi starter and now veggie noodles but this dish did not disappoint. The hardness of the noodles were perfect, the broth was light and on point. The pickled veggies were delicious and added crunch to the dish. -Snapper with rum sauce (4.5/5): Amazing! The snapper was soft and the rum sauce, oh yes the rum sauce. Give me more. So so so so delicious. Not exactly sure what the other protein was but I'd tastes a bit like conch was really good. They weren't very descriptive with explaining the dish. Basically names out the obvious ingredients like Shiitake mushroom. -Sable fish with ginger glaze (4.5/5): The sable fish was the best I've had in Vancouver. It was literally melt in your mouth. I used to think properly done aburi sushi was melt in your mouth good but this ....is on another level. The rest of the dish was executed well. As a ginger-hater, glad it was so subtle that I didn't taste it. -Nigiri platter (3/5): For some reason, their fresh fish didn't taste so fresh. I've had better nigiri/sashimi elsewhere. Again I got the salmon and did not like. The highlight was the hotate (scallop) nigiri. It is the best I've had. I noticed they sprinkled some sea salt which helps bring out the flavour. The 2nd best is the hirame (flounder) nigiri. Dessert Sesame panna cotta (4/5): A sesame panna cotta in a shot glass topped with a teaspoon of milk, wedge of strawberry and a sesame cookie. It has freshness, crunch and a smooth creamy texture. I like that the sesame taste was not overpowering. Perfectly done. A bit pricey and they could improve in providing a more detailed description for their omakase dishes. It's definitely a must try once in your life kind of restaurant. If I ever do return, it will be for their hot dishes as they've failed to impress me with their cold ones. read more

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We had the six course Omakase, and only one of the courses was truly extraordinary. So if it had been a $50 experience, it would get 3 stars, but as an $80 extravaganza (pp), it only gets 2 stars. We started with Tojo's tuna -- which had a little to much soy in the dressing, and one of my tuna cubes was chock full of bones -- I don't think chef meant to serve that bit. The second course was shaved octopus (the extraordinary course). Well-balanced savory and sour flavors, great textural contrasts between the mildly chewy octopus and the tender Japanese mountain veggies beneath. The third course was my least favorite -- a cooked yellowtail over a reduction of monkfish liver -- not because of the sauce (which was really good), but because the yellowtail was mildly tough (over cooked by a minute). The fourth course was big eye tuna (just the eye) tempura flash fried. I liked the contrast in textures, but my friend did not. Up to now, it was a 3 star experience but the sushi course was underwhelming. There were 4 bits of rolls and 2 nigiri. What?!?! I don't care if you are the father of the modern Japanese sushi roll! For $80, I expect really good nigiri, not 2 variations on a California roll and two spicy rolls. Everyone knows that spicy rolls disguise the worst bits of fish because they're chopped up and seasoned. Also, one of the nigiri was eel, and it was underwhelming (it was like boiled eel, not grilled). The dessert course was a black sesame panna cotta. The service was really really good. read more

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Really good sushi. Pricey. But it is what it is. If you are one for the fanciest craziest roll then this isn't for you. But if you are looking for good high quality fish then come here. Some people were here on some classy dates! The washrooms are nice and clean which is always a good sign! We ordered an assortment of sashimi, sushi, tempura and rolls. All delicious. read more

We visited Tojo's as part of our long quest for the best sushi in Canada. Needless to say... we've eaten a lot of sushi (including Tokyo) This is an elegant high end restaurant, so be prepared to pay the steep entry price. This beautiful celebration of highly experienced skill, it is an art. If budget is a concern save Tojo's for a special occasion, many will only do once. Remember the training to become a sushi chef at Tojo's level can take 10-15 years of training. If you are hoping to sit at the sushi bar to watch the chef's, be prepared to pay an extra - this is like sitting at the round table and watching Merlin do his work. We did this once and do not regret it, but it is not an experience we can afford to repeat often. ATMOSPHERE AND SERVICE A comfortable setting, while also elegant. There's a lounge as well if you're looking for something more informal. If this is your first time on a fine dining adventure, don't get anxious, they are warm, welcoming and patient. Staff has fine dining training, they are extra attentive, well mannered and genteel. Our server was hilarious, he was very much a part of our enjoyable evening together. Sitting at the sushi bar we also got to engage with one of the chefs which was special, since he was pretty intensely focused on the high pressure work. THE FOOD The food here is fascinating - the cuisine is at the same time very traditional and not traditional. Tojo applies extremely traditional Japanese technique to local fresh ingredients - so dishes are something totally new. The quality of the fish is some of the best we have ever had and many of the flavour combinations were all new to us. The kitchen will accommodate your needs within reason - but it does have to stay within the bounds that respect the traditional philosophy they are paying homage to. OMAKASE- This means chef's choice, which was what we did. You leave it up to the chef to decide what you will eat. This is the most expensive way to go, as they choose from the finest and rarest ingredients, choose the most difficult dishes to prepare and sometimes make it up as they go. This usually consists of 6 dishes, and if you need more they'll keep going until you say stop. When you are starting to feel full it's generally polite to let the staff know your next dish will be the last, and do save room for a light dessert. We HIGHLY recommend doing this if eating here is a rare treat. OUR OMAKASE: Sashimi plate. A generous plate of east coast blue fin tuna, sockeye salmon, albacore tuna, red snapper, and geoduck (giant clam). The most notable thing about this dish was the firmness of all the fish served. It was really brought to life by a unique and delicious spicy, citric sesame sauce lightly drizzled over the dish. Tempura: Super crunchy tempura of cherry tomato, okra and zucchini. Biting into that tomato created a gushing volcano of rich tomato juice. Barely cooked wonderfully crunchy okra was unique and super tasty. The mini zucchini was stuffed with creamy ling cod and scallop - amazing flavor combo! Sashimi #2: Extraordinarily tender octopus & squid, sweet crab and rich, house-made smoked salmon. The accompaniments allowed for an exploration of flavour combinations with matchstick thin daikon, asian pear, vibrant shiso leaf, edamame, and a citric wasabi sauce. This medley of flavours delighted the palate in any combination we tried. Our "Christmas Present" from the kitchen arrived in the form of a bowl wrapped beautifully in parchment paper. When we unwrapped our gift, the delightful aroma of the broth wafted. Sable fish (also known as black cod), gently smoked to perfection. Nestled inside the fish was an asparagus spear, and a bit of burdock root. An impossibly thin egg crepe embraced a filling of dungeness crab, spot prawns, salmon, topped with a gorgeous deep burgundy, very small roe (we honestly don't know of what, but it was delicious). We have long heard the west coast raving of spot prawn, and this was our first encounter - Sweet, firm, silky texture, with a natural sweetness. Nigiri: Japanese scallop, silvery sardine, blue fin tuna, ocean ocean pike, ocean unagi deserved a moment of admiration before we could dig in. The most surprising was how delicious the sardine was., not something we normal like. Rainbow Roll: Thinly sliced and delicately placed salmon, snapper and tuna accented with another version of impossibly thin egg crepe, cast its rainbow colours over a warm filling of bbq eel. The whole thing was enlivened with the addition of the complex tasting cinnamon-basil-spearmint flavour combination that is shiso leaf. No need for soy on this flavourful dish. Dessert: creme brûlée with a velvety custard. Bathed in a light syrup and topped with a fresh strawberry and finely chopped mango. A delicious, crispy, toasted sesame cookie, broken up and sprinkled over and sprinkled over the creamy custard, provided the crunchy texture normally associated. read more

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Tojo's price compared to other local Japanese restaurants are higher, so the expectation for both food, delivery, and service is also set higher. We ordered the 6-course omakase after we asked the waitress why there was a $40 difference between the 5-course and the 6-course; she said the they were completely different dishes and the 5-course was more appetizer sizes. The food came and the sashimi were fresh tasting, they gave quality ingredients, and tasted good. But I did expect something more memorable, which it wasn't. Not for the raw/cold dishes anyways. The one dish that did stand out was the Sablefish in smoked broth. It had great depth of flavor and I would get that dish again if it were available as a standalone in the menu. Another one was the Lobster tail which was cooked very well. The last of the dishes before dessert was the 5pc Assorted Nigiri. Here, Tojo falls short as the amount of wasabi between the proteins and the rice was all over the place with some having too little that you can't taste any, or some had too much that I had to chug tea to sooth my tongue! My hubby's was the same but on different Nigiri so it wasn't done on purpose. I thought this should be better executed. Overall, the food was a 3.5-4. When you price yourself as a high end restaurant, I do expect the rest of the experience to be top notch too. Our meal lasted 1.5 hrs which was fast considering it was a 6-course meal. There were times when I was still eating a course and the next course would come and the waitress would just put the new dish on the table and keep looking at me until I hurriedly finished my food so she could clear the table. That's awkward. The wine menu was also left on our table after we'd already ordered until the first course came and the menu was moved onto my seat next to me instead of being taken away. Again strange. Overall, service wasn't bad, it was just OK... Final note, for someone who likes the sweeter Reisling wines, don't get the Tojo's Reserve White. We were not a fan. read more

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First ,food was decent waiters were friendly Here is but 1. It costs $192.5 per person with 6 plates, according to our waiter, Last plate which has 4 pieces of toro nigiri (yellowtail, spring salmon , blue fin tuna..) plus 3 small cut of seafood roll counted as one course each. That makes total 9 courses, each course costs around $20 And our waiter did not mention till we ask why it cost more than $120/6 courses when check was presented That bring up to 2nd issue Communication issue: our waiter apparently did not remind us the progress of courses, he was attentive during meal but disappeared at end of meal. Left us there guessing about why it is so expensive Overall food is good but to be honest, $20/piece nigiri, we can do better at other places. Not recommended read more

Tojo's - Toros (yellowtail, spring salmon, bluefin tuna), good but $20 a piece? No thanks - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I came here a while ago for their 5-course omakase. It was really quite impressive! Delicious dishes, beautiful presentation, and it was surprisingly a ton of food. We were so full at the end of it! The only detraction is that some of the dishes were served a bit cooled down. Had the temperature of the dishes been on point, it would definitely have been a 5 star experience. We also had a bottle of sake that was fantastic. I can't remember what it was called but it had some beautiful floral notes in it. The interior is very nice, with an elegant decor. Service was good as well - it is definitely an upscale experience! read more

It was my birthday so I was up for some spoiling, we both had the 5 course Omakase. After asking if we had any allergies or preferences 10 minutes later the first dish started to roll out. Each dish was presented to us and described in great detail. They take the freshest selections that day, and Tojo decides and prepares the meals. From what I recall we had: Tuna ball - sauce zesty (lemony) Octopus cut very thin super slippery Sun tan (seared) salmon hickory smoked tempura rolls Halibut cheeks in a tasty garlic sauce Green tea creme Brulee Tojo and his staff were very friendly, patient, and accommodating. There were at least 5 other parties celebrating birthdays that evening, it was a very popular restaurant choice. I can now see why it's of one of the 1000 places to do before you die. I was very impressed by the food, decor, and service. It's world class. Makes a great choice for any occasion. read more

Tojo's - Tojo - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

great dinner and great atmosphere. The sushi in the ultimate menu is my favourite. I would consider this the best Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. It's a little expensive but definitely worth it's price. read more

I was in Vancouver for a week long conference. By the end of the week, I had not eaten a meal that didn't come on a skewer at an after party, carried around on a little silver tray in a bar somewhere. When my conference was over, it was time to sit and have a meal. Six course omakase. That's where it's at here. Plate after plate come and you don't have to think about it. In total, you'll get about 8-9 courses when you count the little things the bring out in between the actual courses. Each dish was lovely. One dish was a bowl of miso-smoked cod, the whole bowl wrapped in parchment and tied with straw. So very delicious. The last 'meal' course of the dinner was a sushi/nigiri plate. Which was just ok. A bit disappointing given every other wonderful dish they brought us. Still was a wonderful omakase. read more

The food is very ordinary here in terms of taste, quality and presentation. We got the $80 and $120 Omasake. While the $120 Omasake is a lot better than the $80 one, it is not nearly as good as the $85 Omasake's I had at Wakuriya or Sushi Sam (San Mateo, California). The tuna sashimi for the $120 Omasake was good, but my father-in-law constantly feed us with similar quality or better tuna and hamachi. The smokey saberfish was interesting as well, but a bit dry in parts. I wish we had gone to Blue Water Cafe instead. read more

Omakaze menu was the best choice for us The menu was beautiful and so tasty and the staff was so helpful. If you want a more unique experience try Omikaze the first time you go and then go back for your favourites! read more

The reverence these people have for what they do should be applauded. The fish is incomparable, but they'll blow your mind with what can be done to a few simple vegetables. I cannot stress this enough: get the omakase!! read more

I'm torn about this place. Certain parts of my Omakase meal ($110 option) were delightful beyond compare- and others were honestly a bit disappointing. I wil describe the dishes in the order I got them. 1) Tuna Tataki- This was absolutely, ridiculously good. Melt-in-your-mouth fish...With this being the first bit of food that I got for the evening, it really heightened my expectations for the rest of the meal. "What could beat this?" I thought. (4.5) 2) Spring scallop with flying fish roe wrapped in a zuchini flower that was covered in a light tempura batter, accompanied with zuchini tempura- O. M. G. This dish indeed met my expectations after my first dish. The scallop was tender, bursting with flavor, its texture complemented perfectly with the zuchini flower and the flying fish roe. I'm still shaking my head thinking about it. It didn't necessarily LOOK beautiful...but it tasted beyond beautiful...(4.75) 3) Crab salad- This was one of the disappointments. It felt like a palate cleanser. Sure, the little bit of crab was fresh- but yea, the crab was overpowered by the yellow mustard-based sauce drizzled over it. Just not feelin' it on this one- temporary let-down....(3) 4) Pan seared Salmon and sauteed vegetables in an orange glaze sauce- This looked pretty ordinary- but the salmon was cooked perfectly- a light, crispy outer crust and a tender, juicy middle, cooked all the way through. Solid, but not mind-blowing. (3.5) 5) "The best Smoked Cod I think I'll ever have in my life wrapped in cedar wood sheets, with strips of mango, asparagus, and a few other veggies trapped inside the cod." Oy....this is the one dish that went beyond my expectations. I mean.... W...O....W. I never knew fish could taste THIS good. Flavors, textures, and aromas mixed together perfectly...flawless execution of an entree that I will indeed remember for the rest of my life. (This one merits a '6') 6) Sushi (rolls and Nigiri)- Honestly, this was the part of the meal I was most looking forward to- basically until this point only the first dish I had involved raw fish (semi-raw being tataki)- and I was hoping to actually get some sashimi as part of this omakase. But I would be disappointed. The rolls were decent, as were the nigiri, but I've had better elsewhere. Uninspiring. I was hoping for a lot more with all the hype that Tojo's has gotten. 7) I was disappointed that there was no salmon or Uni in this particular rendition of omakase, so I went ahead and ordered 1 piece of each nigiri. The salmon was decently good- but I think I got a bit of an end piece... :( Come on now, I'm blowing some big dough to eat here... The Uni...was ok. I can actually say I've had consistently better Uni elsewhere....even in *gasp* Atlanta, GA? (@ Sushi House Hayakawa). Not dissing on the nigiri, but it wasn't anything special, and so it didn't meet up to my (perhaps) hyped expectations? The green tea creme brulee was a pleasant way to end the evening- before I had to run out to catch the last bus across the street to Richmond. In summary: verdict? Good, and at times astoundingly so (tataki and cod), but at other times slightly underwhelming. read more

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[Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto] Tojo's is a reminder of what real Japanese food should be - a delicate balance of flavors and textures complimenting one another. Japanese food in Vancouver has been so commercialized to the point where every other place slaps some fish on top of rice and calls it sushi. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of your usual Sushi Gardens and similar such establishments but Tojos is more like the food you'd get in Japan. Food: Ordered the 5-course omakase (translates to: let the chef decide). It started with a ball of toro sashimi which was excellent. Then onto a seafood salad topped with salmon sashimi and a mustard (?) dressing. Third was a mushroom and veggie dish in some sort of reduction.Next was a red tuna tataki, wrapped in seaweed and tempura-ed. Last was a assorted selection of nigiri - very fresh and tasty. We were served black sesame pudding for dessert. The whole meal was to die for. Value: Tojo's offers an authentic japanese dining experience complete with servers in traditional garbs. However, it seems that prices reflect that you're paying more for exclusivity, name and location. While I feel it is a little over-hyped, it's still worth it for a special occasion. read more

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The service of Tojo is really friendly and great. We went to the restaurant on Saturday for dinner. At the first there is no booth for us, after 10 mins, there is a booth available and the waiter immediately switched us to the booth which made us really happy. Also, the environment of the restaurant is clean and you can see what chefs were doing in the kitchen. We ordered one assorted sashimi, contains salmon, tuna, uni, and another fish (forgot name). It was fresh, especially the uni. Then we had assorted tempura, yellow tail fish and soup. One quinoa roll and golden roll. The roll were very unique and taste not like typical roll in Canada. At last we had two dessert, which green tea ice cream and sesame pudding。 The pudding was really good. Overall the food is little bit overpriced. The quality of the food is really fresh. The atmosphere is really Japanese feeling. I may not go this place very often due to the price. read more

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At the encouragement of my food critic and culinary hero, Anthony Bourdain, I made the long trek up to Vancouver so that I could dine at the legendary sushi bar--Tojo's. There is not much to be said of Tojo's that hasn't already been repeated in popular praise or criticism. The restaurant has been featured in numerous articles, television spots, and even published in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die." I can't agree that Tojo's should be considered a destination unto itself, but it certainly offers a good meal although at a less than encouraging price. If dining at Tojo's, especially if you are visiting from out of town (or country), then you almost definitely need to order the Omakase. The Omakase (or "chef's choice") is a fixed menu where you are served whatever the chef feels are the best ingredients of the day and however creatively he can best exploit them. Before ordering, your server will inquire if you have any food allergies (for which the chef will make accomodations), but in general it would be considered extremely rude (dare I say, blasphemous) to reject any food that is put before you once the gears are set in motion. The Omakase is typically priced in three tiers with the most expensive ones featuring more courses and more expensive ingredients, such as Wagyu beef. For first time diners, the least expensive Omakase will be sufficient. What you will receive is no less than an opulently prepared meal featuring Vancouver's freshest fare instilled with the imagination and elegance of Tojo's kitchen. The food is simply in a class of its own. Some may scoff at the high price of the meal, but I learned long ago that food is quite similar to fashion in that you often pay a premium for marginal improvements in quality. It's a reality you just have to face. For people like me where sushi bars are generally plentiful and good, Tojo's can seem a bit of a waste. But the experience is what matters and although you may or may not reflect as superbly on the experience as others, you will definitely appreciate that you have it and can understand, for better or worse, what all the clamor is about. read more

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Amazingly fresh sushi and impeccable service. Never an empty water glass or beverage and they give you a clean plate for each serving. It lives up to the best Japanese restaurant in Vancouver for the last several years. read more