- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Asuka Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
108 Yorkville AveToronto, ON M5R 1B9
Neighbourhood: Yorkville
(416) 975-9084
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 12 am
Sun 5 pm - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
29 reviews for Asuka Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
-
"Domo arigato mister Sato." In 7 reviews -
"...first things I saw coming off the bar were 'off menu' items." In 3 reviews -
"The Green Dragon Roll will change your life." In 3 reviews
Loading...
29 reviews in English
-
Review from Janelle W.
Toronto, ON
4/15/2012
Nestled in richie-richersville, Asuka's clientele the night my buddy and I patronized it was either elbowing their way into getting tables (judging from other reviews, this is not an uncommon phenomenon) or extolling the virtues of giving hefty donations to an Ontario private school to increase admissions chances.
It all felt pretty bizarre, but the common ground everyone in the restaurant shared was, of course, the food, and let's just say it was tasty enough to put off total class warfare for another meal. The Sexy Roll and Rainbow Roll were fantastic--I love the soy paper as a substitute for seaweed--delicious and generous portions.
I need to return to try their nigiri, but I'm already anticipating the challenge of turning down their rolls. Just that good. -
Review from Sheryl K.
Downtown Core, Toronto, ON
5/14/2012
My sushi-buddy and I had dinner at Asuka Friday night at the bar. This is our second visit and have enjoyed the bustling atmosphere and friendly service both times. I'd recommend to folks looking for a reasonably authentic Japanese sushi bar experience -- but some North American nicities like a napkin without the need to especially ask for it. We were seated at our reserved spots promptly and drink orders taken. I like this place as it features many sushi choices that do not come with rice -- for those who remain wracked by carb-ridden guilt. The sushi/shashimi meal I chose was not particularly adventurous but it was enjoyable. My one complaint was the quality of the fish, which while very fresh, was sliced too thickly and tended to split apart while enroute to my mouth. Not a sign our sushi was created by a true sushi-master.
-
Review from Emily H.
11/7/2011
*The 4-star is in consideration of the standards of other Toronto sushi restaurants, but probably a 3 to 3.5 in comparison to all other sushi I've had in my life*
Asuka didn't even know it, but she had a very tough sushi critic and her +1 visit for an important lunch today. A lot was on the line, like my friendship with my +1.
I was a very brave girl in bringing DS to try another Toronto sushi restaurant. I have previously mentioned that I am a huge sushi snob, but DS is an even bigger Vancity snob who had already given up hope on all sushi restaurants in Toronto. I was risking getting a good verbal lashing by DS but thankfully we came out of Asuka with happy smiles and satisfied bellies.
The location is great in the heart of Yorkville, but the decor was terribly drab. Dark (sub-ground level), and filled with those cheesy booth things with rice paper sliding doors that are supposed to make the atmosphere more "authentic". Even tackier are the server's "sexy" kimonos. WTF? Please do not be led to believe that such things are authentic Japanese. Please. I beg of you.
Aesthetics aside, the menu had a lot of sushi items, which we thought was a good sign. Any restaurant with the confidence to offer a "Omakase" or "Moriawase" probably has a proud and fresh selection of sashimi to offer.
I ordered the Nigiri Sushi set from the Lunch menu and DS ordered the Chirashi. Both were great! Considering they were the same price, I would recommend the Chirasi over the Sushi set as it definitely had a larger portion and better selection of fish. The fish were fresh and tasty - you could tell by the umami and texture. The sushi had the right type and portion of rice. Tip: A sure sign of a shitty Japanese restaurant is when they give too much rice on your rolls or Nigiri sushi.
I think the fact that my dear friend DS was happy and said would return to Asuka should be reason enough for everyone to pay a visit here. But please don't remove Vancouver or Japan from your travel plans; Toronto is still not comparable.
Atmosphere - 2/5
Service - 4/5
Food - 4/5
Price - 4/5Listed in: 30 Day November Challenge!
-
Review from Erin H.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2011
After recently moving back to Toronto from Vancouver, my sushi expectations were high. Asuka did not disappoint and in fact, made some of the best sushi I have EVER had! The Green Dragon Roll will change your life.
Exceptionally fresh and perfectly presented, the food was truly outstanding. I couldn't stop "mmming" aloud in the same vein as the awesomely obnoxious What About Bob? movie dinner scene.
Great service, and delicious fresh fruit that was the perfect end to the meal. No surprise it's a celeb hotspot and will definitely be a regular spot for me. -
Review from Ms. J.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2011
Ate at this Yorkville sushi joint this evening. We made reservations early, arrived on time and were seated promptly. However, we waited 15 minutes before we had anything to drink, or were served. At the point we were finally served we just ordered everything at once.
Pros: great "ninja roll" - absolutely delicious.
Cons: too small of an establishment with a busy, pretentious crowd
overcooked teriyaki salmon and chicken
poor, inconsistent service
We are not very likely to go back here to eat at all, unless we go for lunch and only order the sushi or sashimi. -
Review from Ksenja T.
8/26/2011
If you're in yorkville and you feel like having decent sushi/japanese food, I would go to Asuka.
The place is small but you will be accomodated, however the service is hit and miss. Sometimes they're really rude..which kind of throws me off as they have so many "celebrities" on their wall of fame, you'd think they'd be good with customers...
Anyways, thank god their food is good. I usually get the chicken teriyaki. They use WHITE chicken meat for that. At other sushi places they use brown meat with fatty chunks which is not very appetizing--at least for me.
At the end they give you fresh fruit which is a nice little touch. -
Review from Steeven L.
Etobicoke, ON
3/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Asuka is tucked away under stores on Yorkville Ave in Yorkville. You go down a few steps and enter an authentic-enough looking Japanese restaurant. The staff is very friendly and we were seated quick enough even though it was the peak of lunch hour and the place was packed with suits.
Although it's in Yorkville, I was surprised that the prices are very reasonable (only slightly more than your hole-in-the-wall Queen W sushi joint).
We sat right up at the sushi bar and the chefs, although working at warp speed to meet the orders, were friendly enough to chat.
Word of caution: If you order the beef teriyaki, it comes on a sizzling hot plate with veggies. PLEASE let the veggies cool down for a while. The steak is at the right temperature to eat but I actually burnt my lip with a piece of broccoli. -
Review from A E.
8/28/2011
Came here at the recommendation of the nice concierge at the Intercontinental Yorkville - we were in a dire need of Asian food after a few days of deprivation (fish and chips, anyone?).
It wasn't half bad. Our favorite was the sukiyaki - big shallow iron pot of beef, glass noodles, cabbage, tofu and sweet sukiyaki sauce. The beef was plentiful and the sauce was not watery (unlike most places). Went really well when gobbled down with soaked-up steamed rice.
The rest of the dish was just OK - we had the gyoza (which I wouldn't have been able to tell apart from Costco's Ling Ling brand - yup, the panda - had the two participated in a gyoza blind tasting), salmon sashimi (which, while fresh, was cut too thick) and oyako donburi (which was no Sumika).
But the sukiyaki saved the day. Or the evening. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
9/8/2008 1 photo
As far as I'm concerned, there are three spots in Yorkville for sushi: Shogun, Sushi Inn and Asuka. Shogun is the most expensive, and U2 eat there when they are in town. Sushi Inn is like the McDonalds of sushi: it's open late, and all the tourists eat there. Asuka is for the locals. It's almost always packed; at lunch with the business crowd and at dinner with the after work/pre movie crowd and late night with locals and restaurant workers.
Sato is the head chef, and he's been there since I was twelve. He loves baseball, he collects celebrity signed pictures and he jokes with all the customers. Most regulars know him by name and he will remember your favourites after only a couple of visits.
The cuts are clean, the staff are efficient, and it's not short on personality either. it's good for groups, a date, or grabbing a bite alone at the bar.
If you want to see what makes Toronto so diversity rich, Asuka is a great place to start, for both tourists and the newly re-located.
It's not cheap, but its not over the top expensive either. -
Review from Roni L.
3/11/2011
After getting shafted on the whole Asuka experience the last time I was out here, I had to take the opportunity to redeem myself. Alas, I made the walk from the craziness of Queen and Yonge (a good idea to walk it off before and after) and made it to Yorkville in the sleet and got a seat at the bar. Nice. Yes, I sat among the autographed pictures of Britney Spears, Megan Fox, Captain Kirk and Jean Chretien as one of the worldly elite who have graced the chairs of Asuka.
I must admit I floundered (no pun intended) between a 4 and 5 but settled on 4.
Prices aren't too bad... The hand rolls are a deal, actually. Fish is pretty fresh, and I like (unlike AYCE places) the nigiri rice pads are sized appropriately, and you get more than a laser-thin-cut portion of fish. One of the better albacore I've had in a while. But they were out of toro!?! on a Friday night!?! Nooo...
Satosan was there overseeing the two younger gentlemen sushi chefs, and unfortunately the one who made my nigiri didn't pack the rice enough, and almost every piece started to come apart as I picked up it. :(
The clientele are really pushy... People just force their way in and sit down without even the afterthought of perhaps the table had a reservation. This old dude came in and plopped himself at the bar and played dumb when the hostess tried to move him to a single spot. Maybe he was dumb, but he got the spot right by Satosan and was served by the master himself (although I must admit the roll seemed a little loose and sloppy).
No, definitely had a good meal, got what I wanted without killing myself on rice, and redeemed myself from last time. Oh, one thing- not wheelchair friendly. Down a set of steep steps and hard to maneuvre inside.
Domo arigato mister Sato. -
Review from Sean C.
5/20/2009
Something that I'm finding out about Toronto is that you guys have some mad awesome prices on sushi for really good quality fish. How in the world did you get so lucky?! Asuka is no exception here.
The part that really makes this place stand out though is the service. Sato-san (head sushi chef) is hilarious. He busts out lines like Stephen Segal busts out kneecaps. Also, the restaurant is covered with pictures of Sato-san with some famous people. I kind of got some heart palpatations and shortness of breath when I saw that he had one with a pot-bellied and red faced Bill Shatner. Sato-san....I salute you :).
Besides being a delight to sit with, Sato-san is an amazingly solid sushi chef. I loved the touch of tempura crunch hidden beneath my hotate nigiri, and also loved that I got some seriously fat cuts of fish. However, he's got some great talent in making sushi rolls. I just had him roll me up whatever he could think up, to which he responded "Oh...you definitely want the #1". Its a great roll...whatever it is. I think the other roll was a dragon roll variant, but it was also quite tasty. Trust the Sato...he knows what is up at this place.
Can't wait till I'm back in Toronto to hit this place up again! -
Review from Steph L.
11/23/2009
My Yorkville to-do list goes something like this:
- Get an expensive haircut
- Buy a grossly overpriced party dress that you will wear maybe once
- Play spot the pretentious hottie or not-so-hottie
- Eat some tasty sushi at Asuka
This cozy little restaurant is one of my new neighborhood favorites.
Reasonably priced.
We ordered the Love Boat (sushi and sashimi) and soft shell crab rolls.
Everything was fresh and yummy.
Server was friendly, you just have to remember to use the call button.
I like the seating in the little private booths.
I'll have to go back and try some other rolls. -
Review from Patty L.
North York, ON
2/23/2010
Whenever I have friends from out of town ask me where to go for great sushi in Toronto, I send them to Asuka.
It's small, cozy and usually quite busy; tucked down a flight of stairs you would walk right past and not notice it.
The fish is fresh, the prices are reasonable and the service is nice. I love the hot towels they bring you when you sit down. I usually order a sushi/sashimi boat or loveboat and share with a group. Call ahead of you want one of the private rooms. Seating can be a bit difficult if you have a group larger than 4 people. -
Review from T S.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2011
I love this place. The sashimi is (usually) really fresh, and the prices are pretty reasonable for Yorkville. The rolls are decent here--but the real treat are the special rolls like the "Red Carpet Roll", etc. Those are fantastic.
Service is usually pretty good, though when it's busy you have to remind them to refill the tea.
The ambiance is great and this place doesn't come across as one of those cheesy Ikea bento box special places. This is a great place for a proper sit-down dinner, though reservations are important if you go on a Friday or Saturday night. -
Review from Tammy Y.
7/12/2009
I decided to go here upon the reviews of fellow Yelpers here, and after passing by the oft-too-packed-for-comfort Sushi Inn, took the opportunity to try Asuka!
Surprisingly, all of the empty booths were 'Reserved' when we swept in, and it was already 8:00pm. We happily took a seat at the bar, watching the sushi chefs work their magic. The prices are definitely higher than cheapo-depot sushi places, but sometimes, you really pay for what you get. We ordered a sushi boat and a pork katsu type dish to share. Both were very good.
All in all, a decent sushi experience, though a bit more than what I'd like to pay for a regular dinner-out meal, but perhaps that is more a fault of mine than the restaurant's.
And yes, when we left the place at 9:30, the place was packed, and every Reserved booth, claimed. -
Review from Andy O.
6/16/2009
This place was fantastic. Was able to quickly get a table for 3 after we walked in without waiting. The prices were good and the fare was outstanding as was the service.
We were enjoying the sushi so much we ordered seconds and the waitress suggested we try something 'off-menu.' She brought us a Sexy Roll and I was definitely happy with it. It was essentially a Dragon roll but wrapped in a pink rice-like material. Definitely order it! -
Review from Shannon L.
7/29/2009
Sushi was excellent. Pieces were large and meaty. The fish was nice and smooth and buttery tasting. We ordered the sushi boat and they gave us a nice variety of fish and rolls.
There are lots of pictures of celebrities that have eaten there.
This place would have been 5 stars, but the teryaki chicken was dry. The veggies that came with it were very tasty. -
Review from Josh N.
Toronto, ON
1/15/2009 2 Check-ins Here
My favourite Sushi spot in Toronto.
Although its located in Yorkville, pricing can be reasonable depending on how you order.
The head chef, Sato, usually remembers you after a few visits and is always fun to have a quick conversation with.
The only problem is that after ordering rolls here wrapped with soybean skin (instead of seaweed), I can't eat sushi any other way!
Usually its quite busy for a small restaurant, so its good to call ahead or take out. -
Review from Francis R.
Toronto, ON
6/9/2010
The main reason I go here is because you get excellent sushi and sashimi and the fact that Sato the chef is a real character who makes up some "off menu" items that are delicious.
Service can be a little iffy at times but besides that the quality here is what counts. -
Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2009
Somewhere between stupid-expensive Shogun and super-cheap Sushi Inn lies Asuka. On my last visit my friends and I split a platter that was a mix of Sushi and Sashimi, which was tasty but a bit weak with respect to the variety of fish we were given. The maki rolls we shared (Unagi, Hamachi, and soft-shell crab) were all really good. For the price, it seems like a very reasonable place to go. It's definitely the place I would pick if I was going to grab sushi in Yorkville, but I don't see it as a place you need to go out of your way to try.
-
Review from R.J. G.
Toronto, ON
9/17/2011
After moving furniture and painting all day we were both stiff and sore and needed to go out for a walk so we decided to go to Asuka that I was curious to try . Sadly, the menu was a bit of a disappointment. Not only was there no oshitashi or nasu dengaku on the menu (one of the signs of a Japanese-inspired place) but there were a selection of Korean dishes, never a good sign for a sushi place. The restaurant was cute, a small place settled in the basement of a selection of shops. Everything was really cute and themed along the lines of a traditional Japanese wood-beamed house. The service was pleasant, although a little slow given that there were only a few people in the place and the prices reflected the area. We ordered the seaweed salad, a bowl of chirashi and an order of tempura don. Everything arrived in portions that fit the prices charged and it was all delicious but not in anyway exceptional. It was an enjoyable experience pitched at tourists and Yorkville locals but not really a draw for any other reason.
-
Review from Eleni D.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2010
Despite being situated in swanky Yorkville, this is a good place for a casual sushi night. Even on a weeknight, this place was buzzing. We were a group of 8, and ordered a boat-full of sushi & sashimi (literally a large wooden boat filled with an assortment of sushi and sashimi). It was all fresh, flavourful, and simple. Service was very quick and it was nice to watch the chefs prepare our meal.
-
Review from Hratch P.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 7/26/2009
I'm sticking with my 4 star rating for Asuka dinner but need to give it a 5 star for lunch. Walked in Saturday for a quick post-gym bite and it was perfect for the cause.
I'm talking walk in, sit at sushi bar, order lunch special (14 pieces quality sushi, miso soup , salad, and green tea), eat, pay and leave under 20 min and 15 dollars.
I left a happy happy man.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/7/2009
Asuka is very good - I didn't think much of it at first but it knocked my socks off. One of the best… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sylvain P.
Newmarket, ON
10/30/2010
It's one of those places that's trying way to hard to accommodate Yorkville. Caught between traditional Japanese and some form of modern kitch, the waitresses are slow unless your a star or Japanese. Lorn knows what happens when you're both. You probably get your picture on the wall. The foods ok and I wouldn't write home about it. Keep searching in Yorkville and you'll find better.
-
Review from Andrea B.
Montréal, QC
5/31/2009
Love it. One of the only other good spots in Yorkville (mostly devoid of good food and celebratory of plushed up nonsense), Asuka's incredible sushi (some of which is not written on the menu, I'm talkin' to you "Red Carpet Special" and "Drew Barrymore Handroll"), the restaurant always delivers solid food and at a pretty good price. Get there before 10, after which they make no attempt at hiding their strong desire to retire for the night...
-
Review from Kat T.
5/9/2009
Asuka is always packed. On a monday evening, I couldn't get a table, so was sat at the sushi bar. Well, that's not a problem, but what a treat! The first things I saw coming off the bar were 'off menu' items. Maybe I'll keep it a secret what all the items were, but I ended up with several of them. You must go and tell Sato what kind of fish you like and he'll create you something you can't get anywhere else. I'd heard this was the kind of place that once you go, nothing else will be the same. Well, it's true!
-
Review from TJ K.
11/6/2010
I'd rate this place 3.5. I've had sushi that is more flavorful. But, it WAS good and in nice small place with a great feel to it.
-
Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
5/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
The sushi/sashimi is wonderful here! It's very fresh and authentic! While the restaurant feels very homey and pleasant, the service was anything but that. The hostess was a bit disorganized and gave my group a bit of an attitude as we were being seated. Instead of taking us directly to the table, she instead, 'pointed' at the table we were to sit at. After 5 minutes of sitting, she comes back to our table and yells 'NO, NOT THIS TABLE! I SAID THAT ONE!' wtf?! It was an honest mistake that we mistook the wrong table as ours but I swear both tables looked the same (both seated 6 people!), what difference will it make? After out little incident, we ordered and the waitress brought our food and after that, we never saw her again, except for when she sweetly dropped off our bill. Chef Sato needs to hire a better staff that has people skills!
Listed in: Japanese Restaurants
-
Review from Howard H.
5/15/2009
Kind of a 'hole-in-the-wall' feel to this place. Very small waiting area, and very crowded. Ordered a Love Boat with 30 pieces of sashimi, 16 pieces of sushi. Fish was very fresh. Wait staff is very friendly. Can get pricey depending on how you order. Reservations are recommended. Mostly small tables. Not good for large crowds.
