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Guu Garden
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
888 Nelson StSte M101
Vancouver, BC V6Z
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 899-0855
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
52 reviews for Guu Garden
Review Highlights
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"The ebi mayo were HUGE." In 7 reviews -
"Tuna melon: a refreshing tower of chopped raw tuna and..." In 7 reviews -
"Miso and Mayo black cod - holy butter of fish." In 5 reviews
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52 reviews in English
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Review from Jeff F.
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is probably my favorite Guu... it's nice and out of the way... many nights it's a quiet oasis in the city (although towards the weekends, and occaionaly it can get pretty noisy too). The food is good... the drinks are GREAT (well.. the wine list is short... and I wouldn't say sweet... stick to the cocktails, ume-shu, and the sake).
Ordering off of the daily specials can't steer you too wrong... and some things like the pumpkin/egg croquette are always worth a try. -
Review from Garth C.
4/9/2012
Guu Garden is the lunch spot of choice for me. It could be because I'm terribly lazy and it is in the same block as my office, or it could be because I've yet to be disappointed by their food and service.
This place is a little hidden gem. For the longest time the only signage they had was on the stairwell on Howe street hand written on a piece of paper within a plastic sleeve. The weather has long since removed that sign but yet they still get a decent crowd for lunch. You know they are doing something right.
When you enter they greet you with such enthusiasm. I have no idea what they are saying so at times I like to take a guess, I believe last time was "We love you Garth, we give you a burger, you give us a nun-chuck demonstration"
Some of my personal favourites are the Miso Pork Cutlet and the Rice Burger Bento. The Rice Burger is two "buns" formed out of sticky rice then either tuna, salmon or beef as the patty. I've tried all three and they are all delicious.
The other great thing about this place? They have one of the finest patios in town. Their large private patio gets lots of sun but is still nice a quiet making it the place to go on a sunny afternoon to sip on some cold beer or sake. -
Review from Allen W.
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Visited for dinner (go early, it gets packed) and thought it was pretty good. Located on a 2nd level, the restaurant is somewhat hidden and secluded. The benefit its that you're away from the street traffic and its peaceful.
We ordered 7 dishes and each one arrived hot: smelt, green bean tempura, koboha korroke, ebi mayo, yaki udon, prawn tempura, and one more that I can't remember. The food tasted quite good but noticed that nearly every dish either came drenched in mayo or with a side of mayo. I think that for the two of us, we witnessed a full bottle of mayo used to prepare our dinner!
I had the Tokyo Mojito -- kinda blah, not much flavor and certainly no kick.
Tables are limited to 2 hours, so plan accordingly. Staff were efficient and friendly, but made it clear to everyone that they had two hours to dine ;-)
Only downside was while we were waiting for our bill, a waiter passing our table was focused on yelling out his order and being cocky than watching what he was doing. His tray of four oyster shooters fell onto our table drenching it, the chairs, and splattering me up one side. He did say he was sorry. Gee thanks. -
Review from Dee D.
Burnaby, BC
5/25/2012
Ebi Mayo, deep fried mozza sticks, sashimi. So guu'd.
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Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
After all that we've been through
It comes down to me and you
I guess it's meant to be
Forever you and me, after aaaaaaall.
I know you've all heard this song before. Don't judge me, this is a classic. Peter Cetera would totally understand that this song was meant for Guu Garden. If you think you don't know the song, look it up. You'll remember it. Go ahead, I'll wait here. Oh you're back? Alright, let's continue.
Of all the Guu restaurants, this one is my favourite. Hidden away in a quiet area of downtown, Guu Garden is my little getaway when I need some comfort food. It's got long lines in the summer (I suspect the patio draws a lot of people), but you can come during off hours and you'll get a table faster. The menus are similar, but there's always something different here. My favourite staples are the bang bang g (chicken jellyfish salad) and gindara (black cod with mayo). Both are amazing and so well priced, that sometimes I come here just for these two dishes.
I've tried a bunch of other items on the menu, including some desserts, and I've yet to have a bad experience. The giant croquette potato and egg seems to be a winner at several tables, and though it was good I'm not sure it warranted the following it had - maybe it's just not for my taste buds.
Staff is friendly and always around, the place is less noisy than the other restaurants. The entire restaurant, including the bathrooms are spacious and bright, and the little garden out the back window gives it a homely kind of feel. Overall, a favourite place for me and for my second-time-around visitors to the city. Also helps that it's half a block from my home. Five stars all around!Listed in: 2011 Best Of, Cheap Eats in the DT, 2012 Best Of, Visitors List!, Izakayas!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/30/2011
This is my favourite of all the Guu restaurants. It's the least noisy of them all, it's brightly lit… Read more »
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Review from Mary W.
Vancouver, BC
3/15/2012
I came here for dinner once and I remember it being good, but it wouldn't be my first Guu-choice for dinner. I do, however, come here for lunch ALL THE TIME and it is always delicious. It's tricky to find if you've never been here, but once you find it, grab a seat by the window, next to the ornate little Japanese garden. Instant lunch zen!
They have lots of great lunch bento specials, but I always go for the kid's bento. Every time I order it, the adorable server repeats "...kid's bento?" subtext being "are you sure? you are a grown person. I am embarrassed for you." I have tried ordering it with a stealthy "number 3, please" but they still say "....KID'S BENTO??" Subtext is the same.
In my opinion, you'd be an idiot not to get the kid's bento. It's $8.50 for: two tempura-ed prawns and an imitation scallop (weird but tasty), hamburger and green beans in a delicious bbq-esque sauce, rice omelette with ketchup, takoyaki, miso soup, and a tiny thing of green grapes with a pink cocktail umbrella. It is a beautifully arranged box of Japanese comfort food. Also it comes with a Guu temporary tattoo, and I've been there enough times to know that they change up the designs. That inherently makes it a billion times better than the more sophisticated but boring "businessman bento", which comes with mature grown-up things like sashimi.
I should maybe branch out and check out the other tempting offerings on the lunch menu, like the rice burgers and the green bean fries. But for now, I am just so happy with the simple, delicious, nostalgia-inducing kid's bento. -
Review from May C.
Vancouver, BC
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tuna melon, get in mah belly!
If you're wondering whether tuna and melon actually pair well together, you were exactly like me. But once you give it a try, you'll ask yourself why you ever doubted the dish. It's one item I'll always order when I visit this Guu.
Their chicken knees are pretty good - there's a good ratio of chicken meat to the actual knee, so it's not as intimidating if you're hesitant to give it a try.
The lamb tenderloin carpaccio was indeed tender, and it was served slightly chilled. The lemon wedge definitely helped enhance the flavours of the meat and the light dressing.
My friend ordered their pumpkin croquette, and it was deliciously creamy. The outside was not overly crispy, and this nicely contrasted with the pumpkin. The hard boiled egg wasn't overcooked either, so I think I'll order this one again!
They always have daily specials, and this time, we picked seared duck breast, and their beef short ribs. I have to say that the duck breast was slightly disappointing in that it was just a bit overcooked and over-seasoned. There's got to be one dish that's the weakest link, right? The short ribs on the other hand were perfectly done. Such a shame that it came near the end, so that was one thing we had packed. No complaints though, because it's definitely a good late night munching snack!
Guu's service overall is really good - we were seated at the end of the large tables, and our waters were constantly being refilled. It's a great place for dinner - prices are very affordable. A friend and I shared a $56 bill, and we were so full we had to pack up the rest of our dinner (we both arrived very hungry too)!
We didn't order drinks this time, but their drinks are good value. I'll take advantage of this next time! -
Review from Erica B.
1/18/2012
Japanese Tapas = GENIUS. I'm loving all the Guu's in Vancouver, and I dream of their food when I'm home in LA.
My fave dish was the kimchee udon. And try the melon/sake ice cream float. You will not regret it.
Four stars for the food and service. -
Review from Russty N.
Vancouver, BC
3/31/2012
Not the easiest restaurant to find as it is tucked away on the 3rd floor of a mostly vacant retail building. I had the business man's bento box (black cod, sashimi and sushi). Very tasty. The chicken karrage is also very tender. My companions had the beef tongue curry udon (very good) and the Kobe Beef Burger (too much BBQ sauce, nothing special). Kids bento box came with a temporary tatoo advertising a beer, an odd choice to say the least. Service is so-so. For our party of 5, entrees came out a three different times, approx 10-20 minutes apart. Not cool. Unlikely to return.
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Review from Megan S.
For some reason it never occurred to me that this place would have individual lunch sets in addition to their regular izakaya menu - maybe it's the fault of my own ignorance, or perhaps they should advertise this on their website...hmm?
Anyway, my colleagues and I were looking for a new group lunch locale to celebrate the upcoming departure of one co-worker, the new arrival of another and the birthday of yours truly and decided to give Guu Garden a try. I hadn't been there since it was Okada Sushi, and was happy to see improvements to the design and layout of the space.
Thankfully I made a reservation, as the restaurant was absolutely packed. Unfortunately, this meant that service was very, very slow. We waited a really long time to get our food, and weren't checked on again until well after we'd all finished our plates - good thing there weren't any complaints!
I ordered the "Kobe" (really???) burger box, which came with an interesting assortment of food. I absolutely loved the prawn and avocado salad, and the green bean fries were perfectly cooked and sprinkled with a light seasoning of salt and pepper. There was also a raw broccoli floret floating in some ponzu-like sauce...which I didn't really understand, but it was good anyway. The "Kobe" burger was interesting, but didn't totally impress - it was a pressed rice patty with essentially a BBQ sauce-soaked meatball topped with an ultra mayo-ey coleslaw. Not the greatest fusion attempt that I've seen, and really kind of a bitch to eat. Also included was a nice miso soup and two umbrella-shaded grapes.
For $10 it's quite a nice amount of food, but the results were hit or miss. I'll definitely come back though, the grilled miso cod special has my name on it... -
Review from Joanne C.
Burnaby, BC
12/28/2011
Love Guu garden! This is probably our favourite of the Guu's (even over the original!) for the ambience and layout.
It's high energy and the service is always good. The food is quick and delicious.
We've been to all of the Guu's but keep coming here many times and have taken out-of-towners here to rave reviews.
Our go-to dishes have to be the lamb carpaccio, tuna tataki, salmon ruibe, ga-den salad, ton toro, kobocha croquette, and anything tasty off of the fresh sheet. The sashimi sampler is always fun and we love the beef tongue/rice dish to end our meal.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but definitely check out Guu Garden! -
Review from Vincci L.
On the Vancouver Magazine's 101 Things to Taste list:
Tuna and Melon Granite: a unique dish with chunks of tuna sashimi, dashi jelly, and bits of iced sweet melon, finished with a soy. Multiple flavours and textures combined to create a dish that's a must try.Listed in: Irresistable Izakaya., Best Things To Eat and Drink…
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/12/2010
Consistency, consistency, consistency!
One of my favourite restaurants, because of their consistency… Read more »
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Review from Joanne M.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2011
Went to Guu Garden last weekend. My partner and I both had the Oden special and it made us sick all night. Plus, it's extremely hot in there.
Service is quite good though. -
Review from Michelle F.
8/30/2011
We mostly ordered off the specials menu--a strategy I highly recommend.
The best thing was the scallop ceviche. It comes in a giant spoon covered with ponzu sauce and lots of crunchy veggies. You eat it all in one giant gulp. SO GOOD.
Citrus marinated squid (at least that's what I think it was called): tiny raw squid in a citrus & soy sauce.
Tuna melon: a refreshing tower of chopped raw tuna and melon.
Spot prawn sashimi. Tip: ask them to deep fry the heads for a crunchy snack.
Fried chicken wings: Spicy. Some of the best wings I've ever had.
The only disappointment was that I ordered a "my papa" caipirinha with kiwi. Sounds great, looks great, tastes like watery kiwi juice. I tried to send it back but the waitress didn't understand so it stood undrunk on the table for the duration of the meal. -
Review from Katherine F.
7/16/2011
We tried to go to another Guu, but it was closed, so we went to this Guu. It was a little difficult to find considering that it lacked signs on the street level. We asked 3 people before figuring out where it was, but it was worth it. I had the black cod that melted in your mouth for a very reasonable price. My husband had the tuna don, which was also fresh and tasty.
The prices/value are great here, but the only downside is the chicken karage had absolutely no flavor. It was supposed to be dipped in the garlic mayo, but still wasn't tasty at all. It was pretty disappointing to have bad fried chicken. -
Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
9/15/2011
Different layout from the other Guu's in Vancouver, but I still like this one, its very cute. Its a totally different menu than the other locations and I don't recall the yelling to be as loud and prominent than others.
It was a teeny bit hard to find at first because its sitting on top of another glass building thingy with a giant white cement wall and set of stairs, but I love the ambiance! Worth a shot! What are you waiting for? -
Review from Larry L.
Wasn't as good as the first. Isn't that how it goes sometimes? Tonight I wanted to be able to chat without raising my voice but we were here for the food and so I had to deal with a decibel rating that was distracting.
With fellow foodie we ordered a number of dishes.
Scallop seveechee ( I know, wrong spelling but I have an over-reactive iPhone and I'm all thumbs.) neither of us liked it. It was the only dish we didn't finish.
Tuna tartar or something.... It was decent, but not quite like before.
Nankotsu - good
EBI mayo. By far the best dish we had.
Deep fried taro roo with bonito flakes - decent.
Is this taro? I think it is.
Bang bang g salad- good but too small?
( ok I'm getting picky, I know, don't listen to me)
Kimchee udon. Their signature dish of all Guu's
Guuuud.
Service was quick and efficient.
Beers would have been better with it. I had green tea.
I was still hungry. Yes.
So no 5 stars this time Eh? Yeah sadly it was that seveecheeaay.Listed in: Taste Bud Tinglers, Japanese Food. What it Means…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/9/2010
In comparison to all the other meals this week, this one gets a 5. Yeah, I know there are some of… Read more »
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Review from Lans S.
8/27/2011
Dios Mios!
Not only does Guu Garden make the most of their corporate-park location, they are so perfectly perfect in all things concerning Japanese food. Which may be why they don't bother with street level signage. They can obviously afford to only rely on those in the know.
So, after reaching 888 Nelson and wandering around the concrete maze, wondering if this place even exists, you finally reach the mezzanine to find Guu's peaceful garden dining area. Once passing the threshold, the friendly Japanese staff offer a boisterous welcome in true Japanese fashion. Depending on your luck and the size of your party, you may have the chance to dine in the zashiki (tatami) area which is the ideal seating for the restaurant. Unless you wore embarrassing mismatched socks or your feet smell...
In which case, fear not - there are several tables and booth seating areas and also super adorable Japanesey seat cushions lining all the chairs.
I also noted the gorgeous orchids and hydrangeas lining the bar at the entrance. A lovely touch to the otherwise minimalist, rustic wooden decor.
The wide variety of lunch options made for tough decisions, but I went w/the Salmon Cutlet Rice Burger. Fantastic. A perfect piece of panko crusted salmon, served w/grated daikon, grilled rice, green bean fries (muy deliciouso, my friends), wasabi avocado salad, and miso soup. $12.50.
Fracking Fantastic. -
Review from Jacqueline T.
8/8/2011 2 photos
Guu is Guud! Its as simple as that.
Guu Garden a little bit different from the other guu's as it is more atmoshpericly pleasing. Its on a roof top deck, and if possible you can get to sit on the tatami mats if you're willing to take off your shoes.
Guu Garden is popular for their lunch bento's. I recommend the sablefish! Their rice burgers are different, but not mouth watering. I like going to Guu's (all locations) for their dinner oden and their Udon's. Kimchi udo is yum! and of course be adventurous when going to all the different guu's. They specialize in different tapas! Small portions.. so gives you room to try out more selections :) One of their classicss pumpkin croquette is my favorite. Slurrrpppps
Tip: Service during lunch for Guu Garden is a bit on the slow side. Probably because of the mad lunch rush. So come early, and be prepared to wait. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 2/23/2011 13 photos
* Continues to be one of my favourite downtown spots for lunch *
Guu Garden just continues to impress me with their creative lunchtime offerings, which are fun, playful, extremely tasty, and very reasonably priced.
Today I ordered the "Beef donburi" ($12.50) which came as a nice lunch set. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The donburi had very tender beef, which was cooked perfectly. It had been sauteed in a yuzu and garlic butter, and was seasoned with some sansho to add a bit of a kick. The yuzu combined nicely with the garlic to give a rich complex flavour and also balance the richness of the butter. The donburi also had some sauteed green beans which still had a nice bit of crunch to them to offer some textural contrast. The rice underneath was also cooked perfectly. A delicious donburi overall. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
There was a small side dish of what I thought was marinated apples until I tasted it. Surprisingly this was a yuzu candied potato and sweet potato dish. Very creative. The potato components were cooked perfectly so they were just the perfect texture and took on a pleasant sweetness from the candying. The yuzu notes connected the flavour to the donburi beautifully. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The miso soup had a nice amount of kelp, green onions, and a few slices of fried tofu. It also had the proper amount of miso - not the watered down soups you find at many places. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
There was also a nice selection of three different types of tsukemono. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
And of course the "patented" umbrella (oy) lychees.
Service was very on top of things and friendly as usual.
A wonderful lunch overall - I just wish they would get rid of that silly little paper umbrella from the lychees!Listed in: Vancouver Japanese Food, Vancouver multicultural fried…, Vancouver Burgers
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/26/2011
* Creative bento *
One of the things I like about Guu Garden is how it is in the middle of downtown,… Read more »
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Review from Alvin L.
Vancouver, BC
1/21/2012 2 photos
Although it may not look like a lot of food, the Kobe burger bento was more than adequate to satisfy my noon-day hunger. Each element of the bento was different and unique but it all came together very well. My favorite part of the bento was definitely the prawn & avocado wasabi salad. The wasabi was not overpowering and complimented the fresh salad and creamy avocado perfectly. The fresh, juicy prawn was an ideal garnish to lend a bit of weight to the vegetable dominated set. The Kobe Beef patty was tender and flavorful, clearly fresh and hand pressed.
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Review from Joshua C.
7/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Guu Garden is a little quieter than the other locations, but the food still rocks!! I had some of my favorites here as well as some new dishes specific to this location. The shrimp and avocado salad was delicious. The dressing was so good and really complemented the avocado and shrimp.
This location is a bit hard to find, but thanks to a fellow Yelpers quick tip, I was able to find it. I love the open and modern feel of it. It wasn't as fun as the one on Thurlow, but sometimes you want a quiet dinner.
They also have the Mega Sapporo here, so that is always a good thing. -
Review from Nicolb T.
4/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Guu - the izakaya that never fails to satisfy. The name itself, brings up fond memories of delightful little tapas that make you ask for more, more more!
Guu Garden, unlike their other locations, is situated away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Vancouver. And yes, they have a garden. And yes, it's quaint.
There's not much I can say about Guu Garden that hasn't been said. They consistently offer very satisfying dishes that are well-crafted and very wallet-friendly. And what really is there left to say to convince someone to go? The success of each Guu falls on word-of-mouth of Guu lovers. You'll go because either someone introduced, recommended or treated you... and you'll keep going back for more.
Instead, I will list off a few favourite dishes that I love, will continue to introduce to friends, or order double each time.
Assorted oden
Wasabi marinated tako & uni
Oyster-mato caesar
Scallop ceviche
Lamb-paccio
Agedashi mozzarella
Kabocha korokke
Kabocha purin / or any of the dessert specials
Remember to look through the daily specials menu, or else you'll be missing out!
Enjoy!
Oh, and if you're here to drink, go for the litre-o-beer or a bottle of sake. Cocktails, while delicious, are weak at best. Bottoms up!Listed in: Oysters & Pearls & Tabasco!
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Review from D J.
Powell River, BC
9/7/2011
We went with 6 people, one a veggitarian. Everyone loved the food. The black cod is amazing. We did get one dish, a special of deep fried potatos that was very meh... but everything else was wonderful.
It is hard to find, even if you have the address and is noisy. But if you are looking of lively place with amazing food. Try this. -
Review from Morris C.
Mount Pleasant, Vancouver, BC
8/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
What a secret gem in the heart of Vancouver...up a set of concrete stairs you'll find an uber sexy patio and glass enclosed room with a lovely little zen garden (from which this Goo get's its name).
Try to bento rice-bun burgers at lunch- salmon, tuna and kobe beef are delicious! -
Review from claudia r.
Vancouver, BC
4/6/2011
This is one of my go-to restaurants for work lunches.
The setting is beautiful, quiet, and sun soaked on a lucky sunny day in Vancouver. The food is wonderful- I keep going back to the tuna tataki (perfectly seared, with crunchy deep fried garlic. yum!) and the beef and rice (I can't find it online- but it's perfectly cooked, amazingly flavorful and has a little bit of kick in it). I look forward to trying other yelper suggestions!
The service can be a little spotty, but is well-intentioned.
Highly recommended for a lovely lunch that will leave you wondering why you ever went to the big chain restaurants in Yaletown.
(If it's your first time- it's a little tricky to find! Up those white stairs off Hornby Street, across the street from the Starbucks in the Sheraton Wall Centre.) -
Review from Anthony F.
Vancouver, BC
1/5/2011
Background: I'm a certified Guu enthusiast. I live about 2 blocks away from this place and I lovingly refer to it as the "Guu nobody goes to." Because it's true, NOBODY knows about the place. The entrance is an unmarked narrow stairway on Hornby/Nelson leading to a large courtyard with a small 2nd floor door.
Food: Japanese izayaka (tapas) favourites like the sweet potato croquette, salmon carpaccio, pan fried rock cod, and kimchi udon never disappoint and the chefs here are just as consistent as the other Guu's.
Ambiance: This place is actually quieter than every other Guu... they have a bit more room to work with and much less yelling. Oh, except for the unique "rock paper scissors" drinking game they have going...
Service: Cute.
Pricepoint: Guu standard, $15-20 per person will make you satisfied.
Overall: Yes, there was a neat little authentic sushi place called Okada Sushi that used to be here a couple years back, but probably failed due to the same marketing flaw that Guu has... nobody can find it. Let's hope Guu's precious name keeps this one going. -
Review from Aurelie G.
Montréal, QC
1/8/2012
I had a very good souvenir of Guu on Thurlow and the one on Robson so I wanted to go back to one of these restaurants as I'm in Vancouver only for a few days. My friend recommended this location.
I wasn't surprised it was packed when I arrived but it's ok I only waited 15 minutes for a table, which is not bad for Guu. I remember waiting for more than 30 minutes the other times. Anyways I'm a very patient person, I would way a whole day if I know the food is great.
There were so many tasty-looking things on the menu that it took me ages to order. The waitress was a bit impatient, so I ordered only one thing for a start, knowing the portions are usually pretty small, and it would take me another 10 minutes to choose another dish....
So I was still eating this FANTASTIC roasted duck but obviously I could feel that I was going to be hungry after this. I wasn't done yet, and my friend just got his plate, so I asked the waitress, if I can have another dish, but for some reason it was impossible. Apparently you have to order everything at the beginning.
DAMMIT this tuna-melon thing would have been good I'm sure. So I had the black bean cheesecake for dessert. Again, a bit too small but so delicious...
After we were done we were kinda kicked out, because there's always this big line up...
IN SHORT TERMS:
- get a reservation before you go!
- food is still as delicious as I remembered
- staff, friendly and polite BUT rushing you, and it's annoying. Guys, I'd rather wait longer for a table when I get in than being rushed and/or kicked out...
Could have been 4 or 5 stars if I had the chance to take my time and have another dish! -
Review from K S.
Burnaby, BC
4/1/2011
Worlds apart from other Guu restaurants.
More attention to detail in food and much better environment - it's actually next to a garden. -
Review from Beverly W.
Vancouver, BC
10/15/2011
The staff is friendly and they greet you warmly when you come in. However, I was unimpressed with the food. In particular, the quantity of food is not enough even for a person like myself who is not a big eater. The lunch combos are about $10-$15. I have had the ginger pork lunch. It was okay, but again the portion was too small for my liking. I would need to order additional items in order to be full.
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Review from Josh G.
Mmmm soo Guuud!!
I've been a huge fan of Guu on Thurlow for a while, decided to switch it up and try the garden.
First impression: the venue is amazing, walk up the stairs onto this quaint rooftop patio with Japanese gardens....I thought I was in the middle of Tokyo. To me, the Garden feels like a more authentic Izakaya than others I have visited; that being said, I'm a BC boy born and bred and I've never been to Asia, so I'm not much of an aficionado (I just pretend to be).
The food, as always with Guu, was awesome. The sashimi and tataki were bang-on, so fresh. Split a nice shrimp n avocado salad and my go to, the Ebi Mayo. Unfortunately, Hapa still has an unbeatable ebi, Guu Thurlow is second, this was good, but the shrimp was a little tough, probably not the freshest, but still tasty.
I love Guu...I'm not sure if I have made that obvious enough, but every Guu location has been a fantastic, and I strongly recommend this Guu-tastic adventure to anyone.Listed in: Best Ebi Mayo
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Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
4/1/2011
I wanted ramen, but since my picky fiance was with us and it was raining, we chose Guu Garden because it was close. This place must be a nice place to sit if there is sunshine... it's really pretty outside in their garden, but it was raining and dark.
There were plenty of tables when we arrived. There was a large table of girls taking pictures of food (Yelpers?) and lots of tables enjoying pitchers and litres of beer. D has been here before, but I was new to Guu. Shamefully I haven't been to any of there other restaurants, but all my friends rave about them and even take long lunches to go stand in line. Meh. I don't know why I am not as enamored with these places as much as others. I am not hating on them, I just want more food. I think this is why rich people are thin... I laugh when people tell me that some Vancouver sushi rolls are too big... wha? Are you seriously telling me that you are complaining that you get more?
My fiance ordered deep fried mozzarella... in soup. Now, the words "in broth" might jump out to you, but it was a shock to us. Umm, I am not a big fan of seaweed. Sure, I will eat it in sushi rolls, but not a fan of shards of seaweed decorating my food. I liked the texture of the melty mozzarella. I am sure it was nicely fried at one point, but after soaking in broth... I dunno.
D ordered the Daikon Salad. I tried it. It tasted really fresh, but I wish there was more of a vinaigrette on it. Since Daikon is basically flavourless, I need more... the diced up plum was different.
Deep fried chicken knees! These were good. I was debating between the thighs and the knees... the knees won out. Normally I don't really eat a lot of pepper, but these deep fried morsels were so yummy dipped in extra tasty salt.
D and I ordered the duck ramen. I wanted ramen and I got it. It was a smaller portion, but good. I loved how the noodles were cooked. There was lots of duck and it wasn't too fatty. I mean, anything with duck is always fattier (fat=flavour), but the broth was just right.
My fiance ordered a yakiudon and he got it way after everything was brought out. I mean, everything was brought out one at a time and this was dead last. I think they forgot because unless they ran out of udon and had to drive to another location to get more there was no reason it was as late as it was since it's not that intricate of a dish. It's basically lightly pan fried udon with beef. The noodles were still chewy which was nice...
I was offered another gingerale, so I said yes. If you are going to charge people for another, you should probably tell them. I found out when I got the bill. I'm glad I didn't say yes when they asked me if I wanted a third small glass.
We stayed for dessert: a "fish" made out of rice flour filled with red bean and fried with ice cream and sesame cheesecake. This "fish" was really good. The outside was lightly crisped and yielded a soft inside and filling. The sesame cheesecake was okay. It was a small hockey puck of cheesecake with black sesame throughout. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
"Gimme a litre-o-beer. A litre-o-beer."
A small part of me is stupidly anti-conformist - if it's a Vancouver 'favourite' I will always pick out the smallest flaw and brush it off. Japadog? Overhyped. Canucks? Get the fuck out of here. Tojo's? Just relies on their reputation. Guu? ... well...
Guu is a dangerous place to drink - there's usually some pretty great and reasonably priced drink options and small portions of delicious food that you mercilessly devour in your tipsy stupor. Before you know it - you're hit with a huge bill. But you had a hell of a time racking it up.
There are quite a few copycats in town - but Guu is the original and still probably the best. I like this location since it's relatively quieter, but still a busy izakaya tucked upstairs off Hornby. Gastown and Robson Guu are more reminiscent of rowdy and noisy izakayas in Japan full of alcoholic salarymen - Guu Garden is a bit more polite and subdued, just the way most Vancouverites like it.
Not for a lack of trying mind you - at $9, the litre-sized mugs of Sapporo invite testosterone-driven drinking feats of might. Finally, I can stroll into a place and demand, "Gimme a litre-o-beer!" and it comes to you frosty and personal-sized -- no more pretending that you didn't order that jug of beer for yourself and faking that you want more than one glass to 'share'. The litre-sized mugs ears fit on my ham hock hands like gloves or Jacob-designed 4-finger rings.
Food lives up to the Guu reputation - the daily sashimi plate was great and Guu definitely knows how to properly deep-fry stuff - chicken knees and beer are a winning combination. However, I did feel a bit ripped off by their spicy chicken wing special - at 6 pieces for $6, I was pretty underwhelmed. The perfectly cooked chicken wings and flavouring were probably lost on me on a night where I was in full debauch mode.
Service and environment was up to the usual Guu standard - but I did feel like I was taken advantage of when the waitress recommended that I try the Salmon Caviar Hand Roll special. "Caviar? You mean motherfucking salmon roe?"
But good food and good drinks - what more can you ask for? Well, being the critic, If Guu imported real Kirin Gold (not the stuff you find in liquor stores brewed by Anheuser-Busch) or Yebisu Black from overseas - I would be a permanent resident here - and if they served past midnight. But any place is winner if they remind me of this scene:
http://www.ebaumsworld...
And remember: "Litre is French for... give me my fuckin' beer before I break VOUS FUCKIN' LIP!"Listed in: A Compendium of Fine…
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Review from Hilda H.
Vancouver, BC
11/16/2010
I'm picky with Japanese food, but Guu Garden does it RIGHT.
There was a great variety of traditional Japanese food in their menu and between my sister and I we tried as much as we could. Usually there's bound to be a few mediocre dishes mixed in with good ones at other places I've tried, but I was really surprised at how well they all were! THE KOROKE. I never really knew what it was but after trying it at Guu it's my new favourite food & word. It just melted in my mouth...MMMMM. -
Review from Yunn A.
Updated - 12/27/2010
I took my bf and his brother here tonight, since I had such a great experience last time.
Unfortunately, this time was quite disappointing. The food was still tasty, but didn't make up for the fact that it took sooooooo bloody long for us to get our food. We were there for over 2.5 hours...
We'd get one tiny dish, and then wait at least 10 minutes from the time we had finished that dish, and the next one to arrive. Not once the entire evening did we have more than one small dish arrive at the same time. We were so hungry and this didn't help. The different servers and our own kept coming by to ask if we were done, or if we had any more dishes coming. Shouldn't they KNOW that? Or was this just a hint to leave earlier? If they wanted us to leave, then they could have just fed us faster then we would have been on our way.
The restaurant was bustling as usual, but there wasn't any wait or line up, and we saw another table of 5 people beside us, arrive earlier, and finish eating and leave almost 30 minutes earlier than our last dish arriving.
I know usually these restaurants are for hanging out and having a good time, but I've been to this location before and their gastown location on MUCH busier nights, and it never took THIS long.
I have to say I was disappointed and quite embarrassed since this was my guests' first time to this restaurant, and they also did not enjoy their dinner because of the slow service. It was slow to the point that it made things awkward.
Hesitant now to come back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2010
If Guu gastown is too busy, this is a good alternative. I like Guu Garden quite a bit as well since… Read more »
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Review from Joy H.
2/23/2011
When visiting my in-laws in Toronto, my sister-in-law mentioned a new happenin' restaurant called Guu and how excited she was to go and try it out. I did some Yelping and realized that Guu is a chain in Vancouver and decided to check one of them out while there! We went to Guu Garden since it looked like the best out of all the other locations. The restaurant is a bit hard to find since it's in a complex with a whole bunch of office buildings and a whole bunch of deserted vacancies! It's a small restaurant and totally not what I had expected! It looks like a lil' hole in the wall, and the constant patronage that streamed in definitely was promising. Everyone spoke Japanese so it really made it feel authentic.
I thought Guu was an izayaka place, but they had bento boxes too. We tried the tuna tataki, fried green beans, chicken and jellyfish salad (yummm), octopus and umi salad, and miso pork bento box (double yummm), and finished it off with sake ice cream (triple yummmm)! Everything was good, but it didn't really live up to the hype! I thought it would be amazing - but it's a really cute mom & pop type that seemed really authentic, but it just didn't live up to my high expectations. Parking is difficult around the restaurant, so beware!! You could end up having a pretty pricey meal! -
Review from Ryan R.
Vancouver, BC
2/26/2012
Amazing food, service, and ambience. Love this place, and will definitely go back.
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Review from Janice F.
7/27/2010
Close second for favourite Guu!! (First being the original Guu for sentimental reasons) But I do love this location - it's like walking into a hidden roof party!
The entrance is up the stairs on Howe - and once you get up there, wow! Love the open space and the patio!!
Food came very quickly after we ordered and we had:
Ahi tuna melon and granita - served in a tower, lovely and refreshing, also came with a gelatin vinegar? Great palate cleanser. You get a bit of a shock from the granita - as in, "Eeek - frozen tuna!" But you get over it as the flavours meld together.
Miso squid tentacles - nicely crispy with a tasty balsamic-like sauce
Lamb-paccio - For some reason, I was expecting a lamb chop - It didn't quite hit me that this would be served carpaccio-style, thinly sliced, extremely rare served with a caper. Slightly gamey, but interesting.
Deep fried tofu with mozarella - Bit of a miss for me, it's tofu stuffed with mozzarella that has been melted and re-congealed. Served in a delicate broth though.
Kimuchi udon - classic, can't go wrong with it and it's a good filler
Avocado and shrimp salad - lots of avocado, good to get some greens into your meal!
Miso baked black cod - another classic, nice portion-size especially in comparison to Kingyo's version!
I'm going to be back as often as I can to take advantage of the open patio!! -
Review from Daphne H.
12/30/2010
I guess I'm biased. But my alliance still lies ith Guu with Garlic on Robson. It used to be my go-to whilst living in Vancouver. But this time, we decided to check out Guu Garden and I was pleasantly surprised that they have my Guu staples, yakiudon and kimchi udon - done just the way i like it.
I was told that the lamb carpaccio was a little gamey and was disappointed that they did not offer the beef carpaccio. I think I still will be visiting Guu with Garlic as my usual go-to when I'm back in town. -
Review from Harold C.
Vancouver, BC
I was very excited to come here, since I'm a big fan of Guu and Guu with Garlic, and this place is closer to my home. The interior is nice and much more subdued than the other Guus, with diner-like tables and light wooden accents. The menu is also a fancier, but a little precious and not hearty. I didn't enjoy any of the dishes we got. They were not what I expect from an izakaya. I happened across this quote from the manga Oishinbo which sums it up for me.
"The other important thing is the food. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Elaborate dishes are actually unnecessary. They just need to use average quality ingredients. I have nothing to complain about as long as they don't mess around with it. They just need to cook a simple and straightforward dish. I think it takes away all the fun of being at an izakaya if you get an extremely elaborate, fancy dish"
It also didn't help that the service was very slow, waiting a good 15-20 minutes between dishes. We will go back again, but only in the hope that we went on an off day, and that the menu will improve.
