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Guu With Garlic
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Tapas Bars Japanese, Tapas Bars [Edit]
1698 Robson StVancouver, BC V6G 1C7
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 685-8678
- Hours:
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:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
205 reviews for Guu With Garlic
Review Highlights
"The tuna tataki was delicious as was the ebi mayo."
(in 22 reviews)
"Salmon carpaccio - Probably my favorite dish."
(in 16 reviews)
"I truly miss honest to goodness izakaya."
(in 47 reviews)
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205 reviews in English
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Review from Mark M.
2/4/2012 6 Check-ins Here
I can't believe it's taken me this long to write a review for Guu! Guu, you deserve better than this. An amazing Izakaya located at the West End of Vancouver, Guu is simply the best most rockin restaurant we were fortunate enough to find with the help of Yelp (hey I rhymed!) while traveling around Vancouver.
Guu is such an upbeat place. It's not just a restaurant, it's so much more. The staff are extremely nice, professional, upbeat and funny. They joke around with everyone, make you feel at home and serve up some of the most orgasmic food this side of the globe. Hands down the best staff of any place I've been to. Easily.
Ok, to start, we tried out the most wonderful Salmon Carpaccio and an orgasmic Ahi Tuna steak paired with some hot sake and assorted Japanese brew. We also had some tasty Salmon Yukke, Hotate Butter, Beef Carpaccio and a few other tasty dishes. Everything was prepared so carefully and with so much attention that I've now been spoiled. Needless to say, during our short stay in Vancouver, we had to return here several times. Yes, it's that GUUUUU! (haha, this must be the 300th time the pun is intended) -
Review from Alvin L.
Vancouver, BC
1/21/2012 3 photos
Just like Guu Original, Guu with Garlic is a very small but cozy establishment. Once the hungry patrons start pouring in, the place gets very crowded and VERY noisy. One of the most common complaints you will read about Guu is that the staff are quite loud. A piece of advice, if you are someone that for some reason needs quiet when eating, DO NOT have dinner at any Guu location. When you enter or leave, the staff yell. When you place an order, dish by dish the staff will yell. When it is time to pay the bill... well you get the point heh. Traditionally, Japanese izakayas are meant to lively, noisy and packed so you are forewarned!
The dinner menu at Guu with Garlic is quite extensive with dozens of tasty dishes to choose from. As with any izakaya, the drink menu is also very large. Unfortunately I did not have the time to nurse a tall Asahi or Guu'd beer so I just ordered three of my favorite dishes to sample. Okonomiyaki is a famous Japanese pancake that is a fan favorite to munch on over a cold beer. Filled with deep fried squid and fresh cabbage, the crisp batter is drizzled with tonkatsu sauce and mustard mayo for an extremely flavorful dish. The second dish I had was takoyaki or deep fried octopus balls. If you have ever been to Japan, takoyaki are one of the most favorite 'fair snacks' and can be seen sold at vendor stands all over the country. Lastly, I ordered chicken karaage, a must-eat for anyone visiting a traditional izakaya. The boneless pieces of white chicken breast are battered and then deep fried and served piping hot with a side of lemon and garlic mayo. -
Review from Karen L.
1/4/2012 4 photos
Oh my goodness, this place is so freaking guuuuuuu'd (sorry, I just had to).
The wait was horrendously long, but we finally got a table. The atmosphere is awesome: the waiters yelling out the orders, loud upbeat music, everyone talking and laughing loudly, both the waiters and the cooks drinking beer with the patrons; it was a fun atmosphere, EXCEPT for the loud, screeching girls sitting next to us, but that's a different story.
We ordered the hotate butter, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, karaage, and assorted oden. We really wanted to try the gin dara (miso marinated black cod), but they sold out, much to our disappointment. But what we did get to try were all savory and delicious!
I also ordered their green apple cocktail, and it tasted like apple soda--super yummy, but there was probably barely any alcohol in it, which I'm not complaining about.
Ahhhh, I love this place!!!Listed in: Vancouver Eats!
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Review from Lory L.
Vancouver, BC
2/9/2012
They have very original cocktails, the food is exotic.
But I find it kinda a wied customer service practice when waiters yell the orders to one each other, instead of quietly taking them and putting them down.
It's always nosy here.
But I guess it's a good place for those, who are looking for some exotic experience.
PS they only take cash -
Review from Fanny W.
1/2/2012 5 photos
Very like a local-restaurant in Japan. The restaurant is loud because it's the traditional Japanese to shout "welcome", "thank you" and "goodbye" from all the restaurant staff members. So they always shout very loud. But this is neat culture you need to experience.
Sashimi is very fresh, great service and very energetic group.
Will definitely come back next time. (I live in San Francisco) -
Review from Will H.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
negatives were the wait and all the screaming, but you can look at that both ways. Our servers were very curtsous and koo. The ebi mayo was up there in quality and size, in my opinion only hapa compares, the salmon carpacio was delish, everything else we had was great too. My only hesitation going back is that my date didn't like all the screaming, yelling, etc. I thought it was kinda cool and added to the atmosphere, but mght not be everyone. Like I wouldn't take my mom there. But who cares i guess they cant please eveyone and they are certainly pleasing most including me so keep it up! YA!
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Review from Vincci L.
A spontaneous Friday night out lead us to craving some izakaya. What other place to go but Guu? After a long hiatus from this location (I love Guu Garden too much,) we came here in hopes of getting a seat. Luckily, there was a opening in the elevated room section, and we got a cozy corner, just for the two of us.
Menu consists of many standard Guu dishes. We got the salmon yukke-which is almost like a tartare, served with pieces of garlic toast. I always like this dish. Then a BBQ eel and mushroom and rice 'gratin'-which was essentially baked eel on rice with cheese on top. I love eel, but I wasn't a huge fan of this dish, and it was also lacking in the amount of rice. Then a kakimayo-baked oysters with cod roe and mayo. You can't go wrong with oysters and mayo. Of course, a standard kimchi udon. Always so good.
Yes, the corner we were sitting was nice and cozy, but having to sit cross legged over a long duration is not the most comfortable. Of course, you couldn't really get service until someone comes over. They open late on the weekends to fulfill your izakaya cravings.
Of course, they also have the 1L mega Sapporo beer! -
Review from Linh N.
Calgary, AB
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Favorite,favorite,favorite!!! Everytime I come to Vancouver, I have to always stop by Guu. From the atmosphere to the carpaccio's, it's a place you can't miss. The busy and loud environment gives it a more authentic feel. Service is sweet and prompt and to top it off, very friendly prices.
The carpaccios's are one of my favorite and the grilled squid is cooked to a perfect texture; and I'm not a fan of squid.
Overall the food, service and price all deserve two thumbs up! -
Review from JW D.
9/25/2011
Thank you Zakkushi for scaring us off. This place is yummy and fun.
There's J pop playing, at manageable volumes, there's a lot of yelling but it's happy and boisterous (okay, and gimmicky) rather than angry.
The pork cheeks and fried chicken with fish n' chips-y breading was really really good. The beef tatami (apparently Japanese for carpaccio) was slightly frightening but tasty.
And I was introduced to ramune. The variety here was kinda like Crystal Pepsi (which I loved) but bubble gum-y instead of cinnamon-
But don't let the slightly manic atmosphere carry you away. Me & GF ran up $66 ordering mini-dish after mini-dish. That would have been some sticker shock if we hadn't been using saved vacation money. -
Review from Mark F.
Outstanding and different in so many good ways.
Daily menu is creative and fresh with half changing and half static.
Small loud and packed inside with a cosy, heated patio too.
From the printed menu:
Guetan had much better in Sendi. Too chewy
baked oysters with cheese were spectacular
BBQ eel was fantastic
Sashimi was VERY thin and not worth the price
Yukon gold with chorizo surprised us with its twist. I could eat an entire bowl
enjoyed a saki before moving to their own beer, a pretty good pale ale.
A great experience and well worth any wait -
Review from Mary M.
10/18/2011
I came here almost a year ago and still remember how amazing the food was. I would dare say this is the best Japanese izakaya on the west coast of North America.
No more words are needed. You need to go and eat there. Pick anything, everything off the menu. It's. Just. Amazing. -
Review from Kashaya W.
Surrey, BC
1/6/2012
Great food!
wish they can open later then it is now..... and bigger place too!!! -
Review from Jennifer B.
12/15/2011
loud, but great place to share japanese tapas. Love the Sake Mojito pitchers, which was great on a hot summer day... only downfall, be prepared to wait for seats.
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Review from Robin M.
Updated - 9/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Guuuuu! What did you doooooo?? Have they been doing this the whole time?? Since when does grilled eel come with bright orange cheese melted on top?! Jeebus, I'm no connoisseur but that *can't* be authentic. It just can't.
I still mostly like it -- the food is good, the servers are fun, the chefs are entertaining -- but I'm going to be the odd (wo)man out here. Guu exists for those who want to food-adventure, but not that far. For those who want some "authentic Japanese" but only a wee bit of it. It's an izakaya for those who want in the game, but don't want to change it.
Great for the masses, but not for me.Listed in: My West End, From the Land of the Rising…, Oishii Oishii!, Yeah Vancouver, I'd Tap(a)…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/21/2011
It's melting, mellllting! A predictable sap, if I could only order one thing from the Guu menu,… Read more »
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Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 11/3/2011
Its one of those things you'll grow accustom to in Vancouver...or at least I do. The shouting of orders, the delicious food & cute chefs. This is one of my favorite Guu's to hit up. Those guys can REALLY drink, but still manage to push out top notch delicious food. I dont think there is one time I have been there where they have failed.
Three cheers for Guu!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/15/2011
Aside from the screaming of orders for the entire time you are waiting to be seated and dining, I… Read more »
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Review from Ai S.
9/26/2011
Welcome to Vancouver, this was the first stop on my little gastronomic adventure. You walk into absolute mayhem, with waitresses screaming out orders and the cooks screaming back (ichi bah wah nalalawaawa was all I could really understand). If you're looking for candlelit romantic dinner for two, definitely not the place. I don't think any restaurant with the word Garlic in their name is good for a date.
I for one was in the mood for yelling and loud music. For some reason though, it made me completely incapable of reading the menu, so I asked the cook behind the counter for his recs. Sitting at the bar is fantastic, and the cooks will love you more if you share your pitcher of beer with them. (It was actually the guy next to me who was sharing his beer with the cooks, would've been nice if he shared with the lady next to him, so much for chivalry.)
I digress. The cook recommended the Hamachi sashimi, which was freshly divine. They throw on these fried garlic chips on top and I could eat a bag of those (maybe that's why the guy next to me didn't offer me any of his beer). An oven-baked mackerel came next, and wow, yummo! (Can I get any more creative with my adjectives?!?)
I should have stopped there, but I saw them serve this tuna tartare looking thing, and yelled out "gimme some of that!" Put my stomach overboard, and I was paying for it later that evening. That whole moderation thing is something I just have a hard time comprehending.
Anyhow, it's a fun place, would go often if I lived in the area. -
Review from Sophie S.
Vancouver, BC
12/20/2011
One of my favourite places to eat in Vancouver :)
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Review from Maddy S.
Vancouver, BC
12/18/2011
I really wanted to like Guu, I really did. I love the service and energy of izakayas and Guu was on the top of my list to go to but unfortunately, it fell far below my expectations.
I went tonight for a birthday party. We were to have the party room in back for us but when we got there, we were told that they had double booked parties. So the first party probably got kicked out early and our 9pm reservation became a wait until 10:15. Ordering the food took a long time and getting the food was even more so and the flow was erratic. They forgot my boyfriend's drink twice and after an hour of waiting for a dish, my friend asked if it was coming only to be told it was actually sold out.
The food was very good though and the servers were nice. But with other izakayas like my favourites Zakkushi and Suika around, I probably won't be back. -
Review from Jenny l.
Vancouver, BC
1/2/2012
After a bad service experience this week from a retail store, I had lost my faith in good customer service anywhere. My friend and I love to feast here after we have a good stroll around the seawall. We always have difficulty deciding what to get, or rather,what not to get. The food is always delicious, and the service is always friendly. Everything is flavorful and yummy. My personal fave is the pumpkin croquette, which I prefer not to share heehee. Anyways a few hours after my last feast there,I had realized we had made an error in paying the bill, I had paid the total on my card and my friend thought I had only paid my half and left her half in cash. I didn't realize this until hours later, so I called them. The girl who answered checked the bill right away and offered me the refund when I explained the error. She was so easy to deal with and nice, and the servers apologized when I picked up the cash. Not only do I love this place for the food, but I am so impressed with the service! I will definitely make it a regular visit!
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Review from Angela L.
7/4/2011 1 photo
Guu with Garlic has remained my favourite Guu of all despite the explosion of Guus everywhere over the years. In my opinion, there was really no need to open the rest of them after the original on Thurlow and this one.
I'm a sucker for the messily hand-written specials, but there are a few menu items that I will never tire of. The kimchi udon, tuna tataki, pumpkin croquette, and beef carpaccio are just a few things that I will order every time.
If you've seen the line ups trail on Robson, you'll know that Guu has never really lost its appeal in all this time. The not so secret secret is to either arrive really early for a full on feast or really late for snacks and explore the adventurously Asian drink menu.
Sitting up in the elevated traditional Japanese room where shoe removal is mandatory is fun, but make sure you're limber enough to sit cross-legged for a couple of hours. Otherwise, you'll be in for a whole bunch of pins and needles. This semi-private space is great for larger parties. I've reserved it with friends in the past and had the tables arranged into a communal formation. At every visit, Guu manages to feel completely familiar (through the great service and consistently high food quality) yet totally new and exciting (through it's inventive menu specials and large variety of seating options). -
Review from Daren D.
7/1/2011 3 photos
"irasshaimase!!"
"----irasshaimase!!"
"----irasshaimase!!"
*takes care of dining business*
"arigatoh gozaimashita!"
"-----arigatoh gozaimashita"
"-----arigatoh gozaimashita"Listed in: Vancouver, BC
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Review from Ryan G.
Vancouver, BC
This place, as good as it gets.
I really like Guu in gastown, probably because I can roll right close down the street to my home...
We ended up here... after walking down Robson for something to eat. Sushi mart? I think not.
Guu with Garlic is where we landed, @ about 6pm on a Sunday. It was less than half full, perfect time to enter. Pitcher of Sapporo and 5 items to start. We aced it all. Guu'd ale bottle, 3 more items and we were done.
Great menu, AWESOME service. I need Guu once a month at least.
What a great place to take someone who's never been, or someone in from town who doesn't "get out much"
LOVE YOU guys in the kitchen. We sat at the bar and wow. Buy these guys beer! They need it!
;-)
smiling ear to ear tonight. -
Review from Charles W.
9/21/2011
Surprised that there was already people waiting outside when it opened at 5:30pm..
Delicious, fresh ingredients, and not too expensive.
Some creative japanese dishes, good hot tea.
Great specialty cocktails as well (the Sakura was great... yes, I like girly drinks).
Will definitely come here again if I'm in the area. -
Review from Jerome B.
9/10/2011 2 photos
This restaurant is located on the far end of Robson street. When I visited there it was pouring down rain in Vancouver and just wanted a place to eat. My cousins and I heard good things about "Guu with Garlic" so we decided to suck it up and walk in the rain to this restaurant.
Our expectations were met because I had a good experienc-- from the food, service, and experience.
We walk in and were happily greeted by the 2 waitresses and the cooks behind the counters. We look at the menu, and while there wasn't a vast selection of food (maybe like 7-10 main plates) it turned out that all our food was delicious and beautifully prepared.
I purchased the barley pork loin with rice, miso soup, and some other smaller items (i think there was a pickled plum there and this sweet tapioca dessert). The Pork was fried perfectly and it tasted very crispy and yummy! My brother and cousin ordered the steak loco moco which included a sunny side up egg, piece of steak, salad, and rice!
My cousin ordered a lycee mojito which she said tasted good too!
The prices weren't too bad, I would say about ~10 CAD for lunch!
If you're in the area, I'd say come by!
My only rant about this place (which is super minuscule) is that since the table is some type of glossed wood, the table was kind of sticky. But not a big problem =P -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2011
This is the best Guu out of all of them. The worst is Richmond; don't even bother going to that one. Guu was one of my first discoveries after moving to Vancouver 10 years ago and it was more heavenly back then. It could also be because it was new to me. Their chicken karaage is the best in the city. Also get the pumpkin ball, it's heavy, so remember to share. Get the beef salad, tuna tataki, tuna yukke, yaki udon, red snapper carparccio, and pork cheek. I once waited 2.5 hours back in University. You normally have to wait around 45 mins. You can make a reservation though, so try doing that; but you most likely still have to wait. Guu is also good for lunch, all the locations are similar when it comes to lunch.
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Review from Feifei R.
Vancouver, BC
7/5/2011
Great atmosphere, great food and great service!
My boyfriend and I sat that the bar, so we can see them cooking. It was so much fun and you got to feel the positive upbeat energy from every cook and waitress.
The beef tataki we ordered was amazing. but it was mildly cooked, with inside raw, soft, tender and fresh! Amazing! Rather reasonable price for it's a steakish dish. The tomato touch was genius.
The sashimi salad is very fresh; the sweet shrimp was so fresh and sweet and soft. It was amazing!
We had bounch of other small dishes, like the grilled ribs, squid, fried Udon, all great!~
The tiny turned off was the deep fried pan cake. It was a bit disgusting to be honest. With the oil being fried for four or five hours, the pan cake was dark brown and oily. Inside was all glue-ee and tasteless....
Still, overall amazing!!! The cook was handsome! =p -
Review from Sachi M.
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beef Tataki is our regular item here (or at any izakaya around town). We always end up getting mostly deep fried stuff... karaage, ebi mayo, age nasu... they're so good!
The Oden was pretty good, but the soup didn't taste that deep.
The Calamari deserves a special mention. It was well spiced, without the thick batter. The dip was great, too! I felt more tomato in it than spiciness, and it had a touch of sweetness to complete it.
The Fresh Octopus karaage was good, too! Be careful not to dunk it in the salt/pepper mixture it comes with. Just a corner is tasteful enough.
We usually don't make it to dessert, but I had the Travellers Deck offer this time, so we rationed our intake and got a cheesecake and almond tofu.
Today's cheesecake had yuzu rind in it. Yum. It wasn't as light as soufflé, but was lighter than the Philly recipe of using only cream cheese. I liked the balance.
The almond tofu was smooth and refreshing, but don't attempt to share it. It's too light, and no one will be satisfied, even if you already feel full.
(^o^)/ TRAVELLERS DECK 2010/11: Free Dessert with minimum $15 purchase (for up to 2 people)
http://www.yelp.ca/biz...Listed in: My Travellers Deck adventure…
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Review from Lori C.
Vancouver, BC
7/23/2011
We had been wanting to try this place after a recommendation from a friend. It is a small cute place, so it was full several times when walking past. One Sunday night, we saw some available spots, so we jumped on the chance to go.
We had a cute table for two outside, which was perfect with the weather last night. The two of us shared 4 small plates. They were all delicious! And so many other plates that we wanted to try!
Great food - highly recommended -
Review from y c.
1/6/2012
love love love the tuna and salmon carpaccio, takoyaki (all time fav) and ebi mayo!!! line is not that bad..just wait it out...the adult melon beverage thingy as also good, though no alcohol
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Review from Lorraine L.
8/22/2011
Guu was interesting. Definitely a place for braver foodies who are willing to try something different. This was my first time in Vancouver, and Guu's izakaya was a great place to start. BF and I were seated at the bar. We started off with a dish that had pork belly as the main eat alongside with a couple slices of bao. It was an interesting, yet delicious dish, since the pork belly was served as a huge slice right there in all its pork belly glory.
Next, I decided to try their sweet shrimp since it was pretty cheap. Back home, one piece would be like $7. The sweet shrimp was definitely something new and not something everyone would like. To me, it was delicious. Although the consistency gets a little slimy, the flavor is unique, almost like uni.
Not wanting to be too full, we ordered the tako yaki to finish it off. Tako yaki is fried, battered octopus. It was yummy and it also seemed to be a favorite among the fellow bar people.
Great prices. Great service. Great experience. Will definitely try out some izakaya places back here in LA. -
Review from Frank C.
8/26/2011
I'm still trying to figure out the hype about this place.. yes its busy, yes theres a bunch of them all over the city.. but the food was just okay...
had the okonomiyaki, and the takoyaki, this sauteed udon dish, the chicken karaage, and the black cod.. they were all pretty tasty, but i wasn't blown away by any of it really. nothing off the regular menu or the specials menu was a game changer by any means.. its just kind of the run of the mill stuff you'd find at an izakaya...
the sauteed udon dish was pretty memorable, it was sauteed with butter and some kind of dashi perhaps and it was pretty tasty.. the black cod.. which is really hard to mess up was a nice sized portion and tasty..
i had a pitcher of sapporo and some shochu on the rocks... maybe i'll drink more next time and i'll maybe i'll get what the hype is about -
Review from Diana B.
This place is insane! Guu with garlic has an awesome environment. Its full of fun, positive energy, and a lot of loud people enjoying great tasting Japanese food.
Don't get twisted. It's not the kind of place where you get a chicken teriyaki plate. So don't order one! lol
Challenge your taste buds to try something new. Enjoy the flavors of what the chefs cook up... You will not be disappointed.
The only reason Guu gets 4 stars, is because my bill was pretty large... Easy on the wallets guys. lol -
Review from Nina L.
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow, we ate almost everthing on the menu. They managed to cram about 15 of us in their little room up the steps at the sit-on-the-floor table. The uni dish was tasty. I secretly love the shrimp with mayo sauce. They also had a yummy octopus dish with lots of citrus. The pork belly is perfectly cooked, sliced and covered with fried garlic. Mmm... OH! The blackened cod was delicious too! So many things...
They also have fun drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). This includes those cool Japanese fizzy drinks that come in a bottle with the marble that you have to pop to open it. -
Review from Joshua C.
No visit to Vancouver is complete without several visits to Guu. We ate at Guu on Thurlow, Guu with Garlic and Guu Garden within our 6 day stay in Vancouver. Yes, Guu is Good and we could eat there everyday.
Guu with Garlic does somethings better than the others. The chicken karrage was perfect! The kobaccha korroke, not so much. Guu on Thurlow does it better for some reason. The tuna tataki was delicious as was the ebi mayo. The ebi mayo had to be the most perfectly fried shrimp I've ever had. It was crisp on the outside, juicy in the inside and complemented perfectly with the mayo sauce.
You can't go wrong with the Mega Sapporo either. I don't know how my partner manages to finish that beer, it's huge!
I like Guu with Garlic for an early dinner. Sit outside, people watch, drink a Sapporo and enjoy some great food.Listed in: Vancouver, BC
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/11/2010
It was our last night in Vancouver and we just had to experience Guu one more time. We opted for Guu… Read more »
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Review from Robert K.
5/10/2011
Similar to my review with Guu on Thurlow, this place is on par and absolutely amazingly near perfection (nothing is perfect.) ;)
Overall the price, food quality, taste, everything is worth it.
Hint: Cash only, LONG wait so ensure you head there before open or avoid rush hours. If you bring a little one, this place can be quite loud so check out the one on Thurlow if you fit that scenario.
Dishes: try it all, whatever you like, it will be made correctly and deliciously. If you don't like either of these two Guu restaurants (Robson, Thurlow), somethig is seriously wrong with you.
Disclaimer: I do claim to be an expert in this category of food, I've been eating Japanese food all my life and from so many different places. -
Review from Randy F.
3/26/2011 5 photos
**3.5 Stars**
Guu is such an institution in Vancouver. With 4 or 5 locations, it's
tough to know which to choose and which is the weakest branch. We
decided to go with the Robson location as I love garlic and their menu
seemed the most extensive.
As an izakaya, Guu has a broad menu of fresh sashimi, deep fried,
stewed, and grilled items.
The atmosphere is bar like and fun with the servers often shouting as
patrons enter. Food comes out at a nice pace and the drink selection
pairs well with the food.
A few items we liked:
Sweet Shrimp Sashimi - didn't expect their sashimi to be this good,
but it was fresh and the small shrimp were extremely sweet and tender.
Very good.
Kakuni - pork belly is always delicious and the pairing here with
daikon radish and a poached egg was gorgeous as well.
Gyu Tan - I always enjoy beef tongue and the simple preparation
highlights the good flavor.
Overall, Guu was a solid and enjoyable meal. I still think izakayas
I've had in Vegas (Raku) and California (Gochi) are more creative and
have even better food, but Guu was Guud.
Guu accepts credit cards. -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
4/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Any of the Guu locations offer great izakaya options.
My favourite thing about this location is the little raised seating area where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor in front of little tables. So fun!Listed in: Japanese Small Plates
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Review from Jordan K.
Vancouver, BC
5/16/2011
"This is Japan!!" is the first thought that went to my mind when I enter the restaurant.
You see typical Japanese bar on the side with bunch of others small short desks lying around in the main area of the restaurant with few more inclusive area on the back.
The foods are excellent plus the great atmosphere! (won't mention too much about it~ you just have to try it!) The servants were just shouting around Japanese and what is better is you can actually see smog and the cooking kitchen; it is just so Japanese and lively! -
Review from Jill Y.
6/14/2011
My experience here was less than stellar. The waiter was all out of sorts and nervous. Our waitress forgot to bring a few things that we ordered. The food was a limp penis. And to top it off, it rained on us, but that actually might have been the highlight of the meal. Nothing the three of us ordered stood out as good food--everything was hastily prepared and bland tasting.
If you are looking for good, fast, Japanese food, I would not recommend this place. I'm very sorry to have to disagree with a lot of these Yelpers, but Guu With Garlic is not up to par imho. -
Review from Al A.
5/31/2011
Despite having 6 locations in Vancouver and Toronto, Guu doesn't feel like a chain.
Guu convinces me that izakayas are the future of Japanese food in Canada. Sushi is sometimes boring, pretentious, and occasional. Izakayas are everyday places with everyday people.
This izakaya is action packed with the sights, sounds, and smells of Japan. I worry that non-Japanese people (e.g. me) will ruin it with my non-Japanese ways (e.g. blowing my nose).
