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Bistro Sakana Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
1123 Mainland StVancouver, BC V6B 5P2
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Yaletown
(604) 633-1280
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Bistro Sakana Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"For example, they have a Prosciutto roll." In 3 reviews -
"my favourite being the healthy lunch." In 4 reviews -
"Best of all they do brown rice sushi, which I love." In 5 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Nicholas N.
Vancouver, BC
4/17/2012
This was one of the best Japanese bistros I have been to in a long time. Their food was amazing and unique, an accomplishment for a Japanese place in Vancouver. I was happy to see them serving a wide selection of sake, including osake a Vancouver made sake. Their menu was extensive and well presented. My favourite dish was the umi-shisho smelt. If you like umi you must try this as the flavour was like nothing I have ever had. The staff was very friendly and the ambience well suited.
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Review from Meana k.
5/18/2012
Food -- excellent.
Service -- not so excellent, although not for the lack of trying.
Prices -- a little on the high end.
Overall -- well... food is great but service really freaking matters.
1 point lost for service being unacceptably slow.
1 point lost on the fact that you feel like you're sitting on your neighbor's lap.
1/2 point lost on prices being too high.
1/2 point gained for having an outside patio with blankets.
1/2 point gained for serving brown rice and offering a great variety of healthy options.
A friend who has long considered this her favorite sushi spot in Yaletown brought me here for lunch one day, and I've been back a few times since then.
It's a tiny little place but they maximize the amount of seats available by cramming the tables together with merely inches between you and the next person in any direction. This makes it a bit complicated for them to reach your table and serve you if you're somehow in one of the middle sections and they have to basically work around other customers to get to you.
The biggest complaint I have is that service is just too slow for the lunch rush. This is not a place where you can easily spend under an hour without feeling rushed and frustrated that the servers can't come by to fill up your tea or take your payment. It easily takes an hour to get your lunch order -- even when it's not fully packed. And they don't seem to understand when you say you need to change your order to carryout so that you can get back to work for a meeting. Multiple attempts to communicate this to multiple servers -- frustrating. Especially when you're starving after sitting there for an hour.
A few times, I have ordered carryout in advance. Called ahead and was told 15 minutes. More than 20 minutes later, I showed up and stood awkwardly in a little corner of their crowded restaurant to try to pay and pick up my order.
However, the food was really tasty and the prices for lunch options are fair. I typically order the healthy lunch box which includes a light salad, agedashi tofu, brown rice, california roll, soba noodles, and miso soup. I also once had the unagi and tempura donburi with brown rice -- excellent. The miso soup is a bit light, however it has a good amount of tofu and seaweed in it which is appreciated.
They mean well, but they just fail in service. I'll come sometime for dinner when I can be leisurely and sip on sake through the slow service and explore their more interesting menu options.
Oh and as for my friend who introduced me to Bistro Sakana -- she says the portions have gotten smaller and the prices have gotten higher. So, there's that. -
Review from Gary M.
2/15/2012
Nice.
Nice room. Nice servers. Nice food. Nice price.
I went to Sakana two days ago for lunch and nice always comes back to mind.
The food tasted light, authentic and had good "cospa" - Japanese slang for
cost performance, good value!
Lunch specials come with rice, miso soup and many lovely little items in a bento box.
I had the lunch set B featuring teriyaki beef, california roll with brown rice, chicken karaage, bean gomae and a trio of fruits for dessert!
My wife opted for the vegetarian lunch box C. It had teriyaki tofu, vegetable tempura, vegetable rolls, bean gomae and the fruits.
We had a nice time.
Nice gets three stars. lol
g -
Review from Megan S.
2/2/2012
This place is an awesome value for lunch, and a phenomenal rip-off for dinner...welcome to Yaletown, I suppose!
The $9.50 "healthy lunch" is my go-to and features a nice soba noodle salad, an avocado cucumber roll, agedashi tofu, rice and miso soup. The first time I ordered it I underestimated the portion size and got some sockeye sashimi as well - it was very fresh but completely unnecessary, I was absurdly full.
Dinner...well...the food is fresh and well-prepared, but the bottom line is that it's just not significantly better than other sushi places that are charging much less. Sure, a few nice touches here or there but not worth the 50% mark-up. -
Review from Benjamin T.
Vancouver, BC
11/11/2011
If price isn't an issue, Sakana is a place to go for fresh fish, unique rolls and something on the menu for everyone, even those that might not be into Japanese. For example, they have a Prosciutto roll.
The room is warm, but very cramped with not a lot of space between tables. Service was prompt and friendly.
Spinach Gomae is not great, the sesame sauce tasted pre-made however the spinach was fresh.
Gyoza cooked perfectly. Came with a nice little pickled salad.
Wild Salmon Carpaccio was very fresh, beautiful colour; served with mustard-y sauce/aioli style and shaved red onion.
Spicy Tuna Roll had spinach which was a welcome addition.
Teppan Roll, we were skeptical of since it was an italian-style roll; but it was surprisingly tasty. However, not with the $14 they charged since it had only 5 pieces.
Beer was cold, Sake was hot. Great selection of premium sakes that you could spend some serious money on. -
Review from Kalina M.
North Vancouver, BC
1/3/2012
Brown Rice Sushi!
My friends & I keep on coming back for the fact that they have a great option to have it with Brown Rice. They have a good selection of Vegetarian Rolls and I love their spicy sauce.
My friends like the crunchy rolls! I like the atmosphere and updated renovation that they did I think last year (?). As with most Yaletown Restaurants, the Patio is great in the summer.
Latest Favourites: sundried tomato roll & artichoke roll; great soba salad -
Review from Nancy V.
Vancouver, BC
10/20/2011
I came here for Taste of Yaletown, which is pretty much like Dineout Vancouver.
For appie, I had the Atlantic Lobster Miso Bisque. It was alright, the texture was more like a miso than lobster bisque.
For Entree, I received an sample platter which consist of
1. Wild Sockeye Jalapeno Aburi "Hakozushi" - This was ok, nothing too amazing about it.
2. Toro Red Chili Aburi "Hakozushi" - Oh my god. the tuna belly literally melts in your mouth and there is a little bit of spice which add a bit of a kick at the end.
3. Yuzu Black Sesame Encrusted Tuna Tataki - it was ok. It could have used more flavour.
4. Ume-Shiso Smelt Tempura - It was good. I never had Smelt tempura before so it was a unique experience.
5. Shiro Miso Black Cod - This was so DELICIOUS, it was melt in your mouth, full of flavour good.
For Dessert, I had the green tea creme brulee. This was the best way to end the meal. I am usually not big on creme brulee. I mainly only like the glazed sugar on top. So this creme brulee was perfect because it was in a big shallow ramekin so it was a good ration between creme and the glazed sugar.
I also had the Geisha Girl as a drink. It was yummy and sweet.
The service was also excellent, the servers were super nice and they told us about the food we were eating. I am probably going to come back here to try their other items. So far so good. -
Review from Taylor K.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best sushi ever!!! We always get the spicy dynamite roll and it is the best dynamite roll we have ever had. The price is little bit more than typical Japanese restaurant but it is worth it!
Their spicy Salmon roll is nice as well. And if you like yam fries, you gotta try it.
The ambience is nice. Service is pretty good but like any other places it cab be little bit on the slow side if it is busy.
Definitely a place to go if you like fresh yummy sushi. -
Review from Ingrid D.
Vancouver, BC
6/24/2011
I really like going to Bistro Sakana for lunch and have been there on a regular basis for a long time.
The food is always super fresh and with high quality ingredients. I usually take one of their daily lunch special... my favourite being the healthy lunch.
A big plus is the friendly staff ... And the outdoor patio. Well... that is, when it's sunny out !! -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2011
I'm giving this 3 instead of 4 stars because of the incredibly slow service over a weekday lunch rush. The servers seemed to be working incredibly hard and there were only 2 of them covering the entire restaurant, so the issue was clearly insufficient staff both on the floor and in the kitchen. The servers themselves were friendly and competent when they were finally able to deal with you!
The food, however, was delicious and very fresh. My fellow diner and I split some maki including a spicy tuna roll, California roll and mango roll, and all were well worth the price. Best of all they do brown rice sushi, which I love. I also really liked the modern and sophisticated atmosphere.
I won't come back for lunch when I have to get back to the office within a reasonable time frame but I would give this place another shot on a weekend or after work. -
Review from Jeff S.
Vancouver, BC
4/9/2011
I liked this place for a long time, then black listed it for a couple of years over a miserable experience that involved getting charged double and spending a couple of months having the charged reversed from my credit card.
I ventured back a few weeks ago though and have since been twice. The service is improved - they have enough staff now. The food is very delicious authentic modern Japanese with a rarity in Japan - a female head sushi chef. Brown rice is almost unheard of in Japan, but for a small up charge you can get it at Bistro Sakana and they have got it right - most places that try don't. -
Review from Jenn W.
7/24/2009
For some reason Yelp was showing one $ for this place . . . it's more like $$$. We were looking for a cheaper dinner tonight, but weren't particularly bothered or surprised at the menu prices here.
Bistro Sakana has a full bar with an appropriately sized wine list and a good sake selection. The wine by the glass is priced high enough that I just nursed the one. They bill themselves as Japanese Tapas.
I ordered the oyster manchego salad & the yam tempura roll. The Yam tempura roll ($5.25) had a really good contrast between the sweetness of the yam, the crunchiness of the tempura bits and the silky richness of the avocado. The oyster manchego salad ($10) was amazing. I had expected a much smaller portion (tapas and all), but this was a good sized salad with four large fried oysters, a nice spring greens blend, a generous amount of manchego cheese and a sweet sesame dressing that complemented the flavours perfectly. I would happily return for the salad alone, it was a perfect meal size for me.
The husbot had a few dishes including the Super 7 roll ($11) which is a sampling of one piece each of seven of their rolls. A nice idea of course, but he did notice that three of the seven rolls involved smoked salmon which he read as a cost cutting technique. His only other complaint was that the edamame was a little hard. My only complaint is that, while I understand that it is tapas style, it still would have been nice to get the edamame at the beginning of the meal instead of towards the end - at that point I was way more interested in my salad & couldn't be bothered to eat it at all.
Service was joyful & attentive. The patio was lovely, just make sure to sit away from the YBC side - it gets kind of loud over there.Listed in: Vancouver Favorites, Poochless Yaletown, Vancouver Sushi
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Review from Bradley C.
Vancouver, BC
6/12/2010
I've only ever had lunch at Sakana, but I've never been disappointed. For the price, it's just right! The food is excellent, and the service is attentive. Things can take a bit of time, but it's worth the wait!
I usually get the veggie lunch, but the healthy lunch is great, too. Give me more! -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2009
Love. Love. Love. Love... at first bite!
I find myself coming back time and time again for their "Healthy Lunch" special... and let me tell you, this special makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
You start out with piping hot miso soup, followed by a buckwheat noodle salad, then your cucumber-avocado roll with brown rice (yes!), and some agadashi tofu. And did I mention your bowl of rice and your complementary tea? Wow! It's a lot of food - but all I can say is it's scrumptious, HEALTHY, and most definitely filling... -
Review from Isaac R.
Vancouver, BC
11/17/2009 1 Check-in Here
It gets very crowded and busy, but for $10 you can't find a better summer lunch in Yaletown. You will have to live with the cute, broken English from their Japanese wait staff, but I guess it is what keeps their costs down. Granted, the lunch specials aren't really sushi at all, as it's almost all vegetables, but it's what they do with those darn things that make for some of the freshest and surprisingly filling meals.
Haven't come back yet for dinner, I'd imagine there is a more expansive menu which will easily satisfy a craving for fresh, and high-quality Japanese food. I definitely recommend it to anyone who works in Yaletown.
See you on the patio! -
Review from Marion P.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2009
Had lunch box A today. Sashimi was melt in your mouth goodness. I don't know why I don't come here more often.
Their lunch specials are a great deal. They come with miso soup (and not lame miso soup, like some places do), rice, main dish, sunomono salad and tea (which they always make sure you are topped up!).
Service is fast and friendly. Get there early to avoid the lunch crowd rush! -
Review from Jessica P.
Vancouver, BC
7/16/2011
Came here for dinner because of the good reviews and was quite disappointed. Food is really overpriced for the portions you get. Flavors are definitely unique but I found too overpowering for sashimi, given the nature good flavors of the fish are smothered. Cocktail menu is sparse (only 2 selection). Will definitely not come here again given the many better sushi joints in the city.
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Review from Chris B.
Vancouver, BC
5/20/2009 1 photo
My office is located in the office building above Bistro Sakana and I order takeout from there at least twice a week. The sushi is amazing and inexpensive, for Yaletown. The lunch special comes with soup, chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki (depending on the day), rice, and shrimps for under $10. The only problem is that they package the take out in styrofoam containers and put them in a plastic bag. (-1 star)
Sometimes I dine in but the tables are cramped and it can be difficult to move around as this is a very popular sushi place. Quiote often you will see members of the Vancouver Canucks dining here. They are currently expanding the restaurant and have taken over the space next door so I hope they exand their seating too. They have an amazing patio that gets great afternoon sun in the summer too. -
Review from Erica L.
Vancouver, BC
1/22/2011
I usually eat lunch here since I work in Yaletown. Lunch boxes are around $10. My fave is the healthy lunch. Brown rice california or avocado rolls with soba noodles & salad, agedashi tofu, miso soup & rice. Everything always tastes really yummy & fresh. The restaurant itself is a little tight - tables are all super close to one another, not much room. Especially when it's the colder months and the patio is closed. You feel like you're having lunch with the table next to you! The service here is friendly though, but sometimes slow cause it's so busy & popular.
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Review from Bettina S.
Vancouver, BC
9/11/2010
Love this place. I eat here at least once sometimes twice a week. Lunch and dinner on the same day sometimes. Service is sometimes a bit slow when they get busy but they are all such nice people it doesn't bother us too much.
Lunch specials during the weekdays are great - good price for all that you get. Dinner is super yummy - we always order the same stuff! Yam fries, beef tataki, mini beef sukiyaki (so good on a cold night), salmon sashimi (so fresh), prosciutto roll, crispy salmon and tuna roll, prawn tempura, gyoza ... all so good! -
Review from Christine C.
Vancouver, BC
6/24/2009
I've been to this place many times and am always very pleased. The service is quick and friendly and the food very fresh. The menu has all the Japanese traditional favorites but also some new twists. The fish is always fresh and sockeye, not Atlantic, salmon is used. They also offer a brown rice option. Definitely going to be going there often
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Review from Ryan F.
Vancouver, BC
3/30/2010
I used to like this place back a few years ago before they renovated and jacked the prices but it has never been the best sushi joint in yaletown. Food is mediocre and quite over priced. Ie.. sushi combo is 12$+ and comes with 8 pieces of sushi not even a full cali roll?!?!. The miso doesn't even have pieces of tofu in it. Walk 2 blocks to ki isu or honjin for much better food at more reasonable prices.
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Review from Christine M.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2010
All of the rolls, especially the spicy dynamite were fresh and delish. They were a bit chincy on the sashimi given the price but the tuna was great and I'm glad we ordered it. The tempura left something to be desired - both in quantity and quality. This seems like a place to go and get rolls and enjoy the fun upbeat atmosphere.
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Review from Shirley C.
Burnaby, BC
Came here for dinner with my gal pals and we ordered a little bit of everything that was different from what would normally be offered at a regular run of the mill Japanese restaurant. I'm not sure if its actually run by Japanese, but the description on the sign says 'Japonesque'?? Anyways, it was raining...typical...so we started off with regular miso soup, nothing special but not on the menu either. We ordered tempura yam fries, very yummy, and calamari, also very yummy. So far so good. Then came our prosciutto roll...way too much rice topped with a thin piece of prosciutto and filled with a piece of mango and a chunk of cream cheese...not so good. We also had the catepillar roll and malibu roll, easily our favorite. The noritaki maki roll or salad roll, was ok, the dipping sauce is very tart! We also had to have our fix of sashimi and you can't go wrong with fresh salmon sashimi. We also had a tempura crispy chicken tenders dish which was good if they flavored it first before deep frying as I'm not keen on dipping it into a dish of salt! The chicken teriyaki was ok a little over cooked. Otherwise this place is good if you like modern Japanese food.
