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Gyoza King
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
1508 Robson StreetVancouver, BC V6G 1C2
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 669-8278
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Gyoza King
Review Highlights
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"The ebi with mayo also amazing." In 9 reviews -
"A great little izakaya (tapas style) place." In 13 reviews -
"Great place for late night snacks and drinks." In 5 reviews
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Josh L.
Vancouver, BC
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
With a name like Gyoza King, expectations run high for pillowy pockets of beef and spice. And my expectations were met with a prompt caravan of 'yummy'. The gyoza were in fact very good--especially the pork and chive, but the star on the table was a thick, glutenous udon noodle in a garlic butter sauce and topped with clams. It was mind-blowingly good--and we used our empty clamshells to lap up the butter sauce that remained behind.
The ebi mayo was good, but not exceptional. The gyoza were also very good, but again, overshadowed by the udon noodles and that pungently garlicky broth.
Service was a bit sluggish--maybe I was impatient in my hunger?--and absent, but with food so tasty, I could hardly complain. -
Review from Pamela L.
4/10/2012
I have a real soft spot for Gyoza King. I went here when I was just out of high school and it was a weekly place for eats. Back then, they still had home made dishes and I loved that touch. It was the first izakaya spot I had been to. When they said they didn't serve sushi I almost walked out but I was so glad that stayed. Gyoza King showed me that Japanese food was more than just Sushi and noodles.
Their ramen dishes are delicious and the portions are massive. Gyozas are homemade and my favourite is the pork and chive. The spicy chicken wings are delish. Even tho I'm lactose intolerant, I do dare to try the mushrooms in garlic and butter, as well as the scallops in garlic and butter. The only thing I have ever eaten and didn't like was the Natto - but I don't like natto at all - so this probably has nothing to do with Gyoza King. The tofu salad - excellent, probably because I love bonito flakes so much.
The other thing that I love about this place (have I said "love" enough???) is their service. They're attentive, kind, genuine and fun.
GO! -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
C'mon boys and girls, it's a 5 stars in my books, when a resto can't improve anymore! lol
This is the original izakaya before all the other ones started on the scene. anyways i digress, here's what tasty: Still consistent after all these years....
1. Pork and chives gyoza.. should've ordered the 10piece instead of 6. just watching my waistline
2. pan-fried udon with spicy cod roe, butter...how can anything taste bad w/ butter? very slippery, great texture, kinda like a ketchupy sauce...udon cooked to the right tenderness
3. ebi mayo. enough said. phenomenal sauce. good size tiger prawns, not those tiny dinky ones haha
4. chikuwa cheese...deep fried squid-like, w/ some cheddar, i think, oozing out...used to be a white form but hey, still tastes yummy! -
Review from Ben C.
12/28/2011
This place really has legs.... I don't mean the servers. Gyoza King has been around forever, and since Guu was too packed I decided to revisit.
Amazingly it's gotten better than I last remember. The servers are really helpful and patient - especially after a few bottles of sake and you still want more food.
The tapas brought me back to what authentic japanese dishes should be like. I'm glad I came back and will likely frequent this more. -
Review from Rick C.
12/22/2011
So after waiting for about an hour at Guu with Garlic a few nights before, we decided to skip the lines and give Gyoza King a shot. With so many options down this street, Gyoza king doesn't really stand out too much, but the reviews were decent and it seemed convenient.
Everything we had was pretty good. The gyoza were the standout. Pretty cheap too. We rolled out of there for about 30 bucks. I do feel that the quality of food at Guu was better. We ordered similar dishes for comparison.
If you don't feel like waiting in line, this place will definitely do the job. -
Review from Connie L.
11/13/2011
Was it just me, or the quality and service of the King has been on a steady decline?
We had been in love with it since it first opened. On a recent Saturday visit, however, it was merely satisfactory.
Food:
The gyozas are still amazing: $7 for 10 pieces of joyful bundles, $8 Asahi (or $21 for the pitcher), and their ever changing $4 item menu always pleases the (drunken) crowd. Yes, Gyoza King is still a very economical choice in the West End.
Dishes we didn't enjoy so much were the robatas: the salmon cheek was overly salty, the karage skewers were bland and charred, and the salmon skin salad was tough and .. just not very exciting.
Service:
Slow, and prone to error. We waited for 15 min to have orders taken, and we had two wrong dishes sent to us (Double check your gyoza contents).
The servers were courteous, nevertheless.
In the end, we have mix feelings.
For better food, we could go to kingyo. For better service and energy, we could go to the Guus'.
But we choose to come here, because it IS Gyozo King. It still is kind of an institution. -
Review from Takeshi T.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2011
Here in Vancouver has a lot of Japanese Izakaya. I visited Gyoza King twice from my friends recommendation.
The ambiance is totally like a Japanese, however foods are not Japanese it's for foreigner I guess. It was not impressed for me who is too Japanese. But I like this place! Just try yourself!Listed in: Japanese
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Review from Clare L.
7/29/2011
Gyoza King! It's been 8 years since I've come by Gyoza King and I can assure you, it's still really great! So why have I not been back? Well simply due to lack of time!
My brother and I made this afternoon a lunch full of gyoza and my go to favourite Japanese comfort foods: Okonomiyaki & Takoyaki aka Japanese "pizza" (I use this really loosely), and fried batter and octopi shaped like a sphere of deliciousness.
I ordered the Lunch Box Special Osaka and my brother opted for Cold Ramen. We tried to get an extra dish of the Chicken Curry Gyoza, but much to our disappointment, it was not on the menu, so we settled for Chicken & Veggie Gyoza.
Everything was super flavourful: the salad in my bento consisted of Greens, Tomato, cucumber with a gomaae dressing (sesame), the gyoza was juicy and crispy on the bottom, and takoyaki, well I love takoyaki! To my surprise the Okonomiyaki was much darker than I have ever had it, so it made me feel hesitant. The fish flakes on top seemed to dance with the steam, incidentally something I enjoy watching. The onigiri, - crispy rice ball didn't contain anything in it, but was very tasty too. The only thing in the bento that seemed lacking was the Kimchi Udon, that I shared with my brother. It was not very tasty, and actually rather bland, and the only thing that gave it a different lift, was the tiny cooked fish roe sprinkled in. So didn't really care much for it.
The décor seems to be very similar to what I remembered of it last, and it is a small place, with dark wood, and luckily there wasn't a crowd there at all. Overall pretty happy to have takoyaki as well as revisiting an old haunt of mine. -
Review from Chris M.
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a landmark of sorts in the parade of Japanese and Korean eateries on Robson, but I was a little bit surprised by my most recent visit. Why? The service was not at all attentive or timely, and one of our dishes was outright forgotten about and ended up coming very late - a situation I've been in a couple of times eating here.Note that it can get remarkably busy here in no time at all, especially at dinner - people often line up outside the door prior to opening hours- so having to wait around too long for food or the bill can be a pain, especially if you've already been cooling your heels for a while.
It's a small, colourful place and I really like the vibe inside, but the staff at nearby Guu are friendlier. Also, the music can be pretty schizophrenic - a fun mix for some, potentially grating for others.
The gyoza do live up to the promise on the masthead - they're delicious, no matter what kind you order. I like the Ebi-nira, but you can pick steamed or pan-fried and choose from a fairly wide set of filling options that mix up shrimp, vegetables, spinach and pork. Most of the other food, izakaya staples like ebi mayo, takoyaki, various karaage and so on, is pretty solid, and I am particularly fond of their various donburi (including unadon and oyakodon!) The lunch combos are a good value, and you can occasionally find items (like deep-fried curry dumplings!) that aren't usually on the menu.
In short, the tasty food, good price and hip atmosphere are all reasons to visit, and the gyoza are practically Robson royalty, but you might not be treated like a king when you arrive. -
Review from Rebecca C.
Vancouver, BC
10/23/2011
I love it ! I've been to Gyoza King a million times and it's a staple for me, I'm a sucker for a dumpling as a rule and the fact that this West End gem is walking distance from my house is win win as far as I'm concerned.
The service can be a bit hit or miss, I can't lie, but for me its generally been great.
I love the pork and veggie gyoza, the tonotoro is always fab and when they have the cheese croquettes (which they sadly haven't my last few visits) I can absolutely gorge myself :)
The alcohol is usually reasonably priced, which is a plus in my opinion!
I say check it out - maybe we'll run into each other ! -
Review from Ellen W.
Vancouver, BC
3/28/2012
Their food is really good especially their ramen. But I would say the service is really bad. The servers are lazy and do not pay attention about refilling tea. I actually called to try to complain to their manager a couple times. They said the manager was busy so I left my number twice. But they have never returned my calls.
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Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
It's spot prawn season!!!! Spot prawn sashimi!!!!! sooooooo guuuuuuddddddd!!!!
The Layout:
Mid sized, cozy Japanese restaurant right off of Robson street, where most of the Japanese/Korean eateries are. This place does get pretty pact most nights, so don't come in with your entourage, expecting to get seated quickly. Most table fit about 4 and the place seats about 30?
The Food:
The food is Japanese izakaya style, so don't think one dish will fill ya up. For two, order around 4-5 to start and a couple of drink and see where the night takes ya :p
-The Good-
Gyoza: Pork & Chives are great! Not the best gyoza in town, but pretty good still.
Sashimi Platter: It's a special they are running from the first page of the menu (the glued on colourful paper). Comes with 3 piece each of salmon, tuna, scallop, and spot prawn! Their platter is soooooooo gooood! The seafood was very fresh, scallop so sweet, and spot prawns are amazing! Spot prawns made this dish; sweet, rich, and creamy.
Takoyaki: Crispy on the outside, gooey on the ins, sauce atop and bonito flake dancing above. Trust me, don't go all the way to Richmond Night Market for shitty balls when you got perfectly fishy balls here!
Okonomiyaki: Yah it's pretty much the same thing as the takoyaki, but no bonito flakes and this bad boy is made like a popsicle. Still really good!
Mentaiko Yaki: Creamy cod roe noodles. Loved it! Well balanced!
Beef Tataki: I could eat platters of this!! The beef is quite tender and the sauce goes so well with it.
-The Bad-
Tuna & Avocado Salad: You can skip this dish. It was almost like a scoop of tuna mush with fried wonton skins on lettuce. Not good. The wontons just reminds me of a tacky western restaurant attempting to make an "Asian/Thai Salad." How many times was we seen that done. Skip!
Green Tea Brulee: I'll just skip this and walk next door for their sister restaurant for dessert.
Service:
Excellent! They have always been nice to us when we come in. It is a bit hard for them to serve you if you're sitting in the boothy area, but they do come to you. Food is pretty quick and they do accept CC
Though this place is an izakaya, for some reason I prefer not to drink here. I have no problem drinking normally, but this place has a more sit down enjoy your meal feel to me than the other get smashed izakaya restaurant (Ebisu: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...)
Maybe cause the food is better, and I don't need beer goggles for my taste buds ;) -
Review from Robin M.
6/17/2011
Umm, I think I may have missed something? This came so highly recommend that I was super jazzed to finally check out Gyoza King. Maybe it's because I can't eat glutinous products and didn't try the gyoza that they are the "king" of, or maybe the chefs were just having an offish night - but regardless of the cause, the food here was less than "just okay".
I didn't like it.
There I said it. Not only did I not like it, but I barely touched any of it. It's a rare day on earth that I don't finish a piece of grilled meat, but this particular meat was so over-sauced and dry that I just couldn't stomach it. And the yakitori sauce? Intensely sweet and way too thick, it was slopped on the chicken skewers with little care - not the standard I've come to expect from Vancouver robata.
And that was just the yakitori. The rest of the meal was no better; the saba miso was slathered in that same careless sauce and was extraordinarily dry. So dry in fact that it almost tasted like the aforementioned chicken (for the record, saba miso is no poultry. It's a fish). The rest of the meal was some variation on this sad tale (ie; bland, sauced, and not properly prepared) so I'll spare the details. Suffice it to say I went home hungry.
On the plus side, I did like the plum wine and the servers were nice. But nice people serving plum wine does not a customer make. -
Review from Lisa T.
12/25/2011
(pork or spinach) gyoza. tofu salad. mentaiko udon. seared toro sashimi.
all so good!!! i just wish i had a bigger stomach sometimes. -
Review from Sarah A.
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I heard so many rave reviews about Gyoza King that I was dying to try it out. It is a small little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Robson and the atmosphere is a bit cramped and cluttered, so it wasn't quite what I was expecting. But I can definitely see what draws people to this restaurant. First of all, the gyoza is amazing. Definitely the best gyoza I have had in a long time. Also, the prices aren't bad. They have a long list of options on their $4 menu, including gyoza selections. There is also a great selection of Japanese beer here. Our service was also pretty good. Other than that, though, it felt like a pretty standard Japanese tapas restaurant.
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Review from Niko D.
7/13/2011
Amazingness in and around all the senses... Holy crap this is the Best Gyoza I have EVER had!...
I ordered the curry gyoza..good, unique, tasty... but that's not what did it for me. The regular, standard Gyoza dish lit my palette on fire and didn't let go til the very last bite...then I ordered more to go ha ha.
The mix of lemon, buckwheat dumpling skin combined with the moist and tasty filling just.....*takes a breath*.... Amazingness!!! I am at a loss for words...what can I say!
The staff is pretty awesome! Almost all of them are Japanese and you can tell by the care and attention to detail!
You mustttttttt check it out!!! -
Review from Karen W.
11/27/2011
Guu was closed for lunch service so walking down Robson we stumbled upon this place I've heard about from many people. Gyozas are good. They're not "spectacular I'm going to come back here again and again for it kind of good". I had the salmon don (mistake) which the sashimi wasn't even on sushi rice and my friend had the BC spicy ramen which she said was good. Meh.
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Review from Sarah O.
1/3/2011
So I ended up coming back here. What a difference. I actually had to write this well over a week after I visited the place, just to avoid writing a very nasty review. Let me just say, this is the worst service I've had in a very long time.
We sat there, and after ordering our food, the dodgy owner comes up to us and tells us we can't sit there anymore.. that there was a reservation.. but when I looked around, there was clearly another table with the sign, "reserved" on it. I asked, "how about that one?" and in his broken english, all he kept saying was: "sorry, sorry " and bowing, without explaining the situation at all. And I asked, "so what do you want us to do? Do you want us to leave?" But he just continued to just say, "Sorry, sorry, sorry." All the while this hostile group of 3 (who made the reservation) were standing over us and yelling at us as if we did something horrific. We didn't know what they were asking for. Did he want us to stay? Move? Leave?
Then our food comes out after we move tables, all the while the waitresses purposely avoided our table all night long, not coming by for anything at all, even when we were trying to pay, they took care of everyone around us and ignored us, and I had to actually go up there and settle the (full amounted) bill. That's fine whatever, but what a joke! Learn to communicate and how to run a restaurant business. -
Review from Kari C.
1/31/2011
This is a perfect spot to show off the fact that I wear hilariously patterned, mismatched (but cute!) socks. If you get seated in the magically special bench area, definitely show some Japanese respect by taking off your shoes or else Godzilla will stuff you inside a giant gyoza wrapper and devour you whole.
Every time I come here, it has been a pleasant experience and the wait is short if you pop in for a late-night familiar snack. Ramen and udon have decent, chewy texture, gyoza (I've tried veggie and pork) doesn't skimp on fillings, rice bowls have crunchy veg, and the robata is flavourful, and not dry.
The GK has a big dinner rush, yet they've consistently performed well for me. Service is quiet but quick and efficient (ninja-like!), prices are very reasonable, and one time I was sitting at the bar, chewing on a dumpling while My Chemical Romance was blaring from the speakers. Wow do they know what I like! Ten points.Listed in: Surefires
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Review from Brandi P.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2011
So good!
A friend brought me here for dinner one night and I brought my boyfriend back for lunch the next day.
It was fantastic! I loved the green salad, shrimp gyoza and the spicy Negitoro.
When I went back the next day I was disappointed that they didn't have their full menu available for lunch (it was missing the negitoro). Oh well, I guess that means I will be heading back there for dinner again soon.
This would be a great place to go with a group of friends. -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2011
I normally don't write reviews for places unless I REALLY like them...Gyoza King is just okay, but I have to write something because they have the best nabeyaki udon in the city. Their soup base is SO GOOD and their egg is always just right. It's the best thing to have on a rainy day. Otherwise, everything else they have is just okay, you get better at Guu down the street. They also down the dessert place next door which serves good green tea parfaits, so that's another benefit of going to Gyoza King. One of my friends says it smells like wet towel in there and since then I can't rid myself of that though. It does a bit. The menus are also sticky...not the cleanest place. But for the best nabeyaki udon...I just won't touch the tables.
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Review from M C.
10/22/2011
Love coming here whenever I am in Vancouver. This place has a nicely grilled Gyoza that doesn't taste like pot stickers. Their mackels are also nicely grilled.
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Review from Nam N.
Vancouver, BC
2/18/2011
Ah the beginning of it all was here. My first taste of Japanese tapas style food oh so many years ago. What a great experience it was and when there weren't many izakayas yet, this was the only place to go or maybe the only that I knew of. Lineups would be 30 minutes plus but we'd always wait outside in the cold.
Even though it was the only one, even today I still come back here because the food is so good. I've tried almost everything and found it all delicious.
I think what really brings me back is the atmosphere, its quaint and like a Japanese restaurant straight from the land of the rising sun. I actually like small cozy places more so than large ones. Maybe that sense of commercialized restaurants don't attract me as much. I enjoy family restaurants, small but hella busy and the chef only works 5 days a week cuz he's so damn good and he doesn't want to make more money than he needs.
PRICE: Average. Along the lines of other izakayas.
SERVICE: Always friendly and as fast as they can be no matter how busy.
SUGGEST: You gotta try this place out, and if you've been here already, well go again why are you reading this? :) -
Review from Richard U.
7/3/2010
Give me GYOZA!
Gyoza King is pretty solid izakaya joint on Robson street. Cozy atmosphere and food make it a good destination if you have a hankering for the stuff.
Takoyaki: nice version here. Crisp outside, not too much brown sauce on top.
Grilled Mackrel in Miso Sauce: Oh... mackrel, my new food obsession! This is covered in a sweet and savory miso sauce. Good over rice!
Gyoza: went with the pan fried pork and shrimp with scallion. Tasty little critters.
Very comfortable casual atmosphere. Reasonably priced for what you are getting. They clearly indicate a 2 hour limit which appears to be standard on many izakayas in town. Don't linger over those dumplings!Listed in: Vancouver Highlights
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Review from Dayna B.
Vancouver, BC
2/27/2009 ROTD 4/22/2009
Gyoza King is a staple in my Japanese food diet. They hold a special place in my heart for having never disappointed me since I started going there, which is saying a lot for any restaurant.
It's always busy and doesn't have much seating so don't pull a diva move and act like you're too good to wait when you can't get seated right away at 8pm on a Friday: wait it out and you'll thank yourself in the end.
Must tries here are the ebi mayo, beef yaki udon, and tuna sashimi. Some would say the gyoza is the best, and although it's good, I still don't think its the best thing on the menu. I know, I know...please don't stone me.
For all you play-it-safers, remember that they do not serve California roll, BC roll or any other type of roll. They do not serve sushi and only recently added sashimi to their menu. Don't worry about that though and enjoy what they do best...everything else!
And a quick tip for everyone who can't read Japanese (ie. me), the bill comes in Japanese, so if you're going Dutch remember how much what you ordered was. Just a thought... =)
So get going, be adventurous, and remember that the wait is worth it! -
Review from Jennifer R L.
London, ON
3/16/2011
We were here for saturday dinner and the place was packed, we were told that this place served authentic Japanese food, and sure enough, this place lived up to its name. The wait was rather long, but totally worth it!
The place is tiny and you have squeeze your way around people and tables, we ordered the tuna and salmon/avocado sashimi wrap (in seaweed) and it was beyond amazing! Of course we had some gyoza, we got the chicken and veggie and also the pork and chive. The gyoza were good, but I am not a big fan, so there isn't much more I can say, I guess you'll have to just try it yourself! We didn't get any sushi since this place isn't famous for it, but we did try an assortment of other stuff, like your stirfry udon, sake stemmed clams, miso mackerel and even their green salad with their "secret" sauce (which was great!)
Overall, this is a great place to be! Thumbs-up! Definitely would go back next time I'm in Vancouver. Recommended! -
Review from Sonya R.
Burnaby, BC
5/13/2010
I am not being sarcastic when I tell you I find it perfectly soothing to have Japanese yelled beside my ear as I chat and eat. I know this sounds... very odd to someone living in a different city, or to someone who's just moved to Vancouver, but I feel like places like this and Guu are genuine and happy places to be. The yelling doesn't mean anger or dissatisfaction - it's just servers and chefs being busy and energetic, and they are really nice and welcoming to all their customers. I love the environment. The set-up kinda feels like a kid's room, no? I also found the menu kind of hard to read, though it was definitely unique.
I had an amazing time here seeing as I discovered my most favourite brand of beer of all time - apparently it was sitting under my nose all along, since it's Japan's #1, Asahi. It has no aftertaste and is so fresh-tasting and crisp. I adore it. This paired with pork/shrimp gyozas makes for an amazing combo. Try it out.. but skip the ramen, it was pretty bad in my opinion.
Parties of 8 have an automatic 15% gratuity tacked on and only two people can pay from the table. Ouch. They know how to keep the party going long after all the other places have thrown in the towel. It's funny seeing just how loud and full the places open later are - people definitely want to stay out later, given the chance. -
Review from Peter S.
4/10/2009 2 photos
Meh!
I would have given the King a two star rating if it wasn't for the Gyoza. Which is pretty damn good (I should hope so with a name like that!). But that was all that impressed me. The Ebi Mayo was tough and definitely not fresh. The eggplant was good, however, the sauce was the highlight of the dish. And the odd mushrooms in tin foil thing, was, well, kinda blah. Reminded me of a campfire veggie roast gone wrong.
I doubt I would go all the way to busy Robson for Gyoza again, but ya never know, my stomach has a mind of its own. -
Review from Janice F.
11/5/2008
It might be nostalgia speaking, but Gyoza King holds a special place in my heart for being one of the first "izakayas" in Vancouver. Now that izakaya's have gone mainstream in the restaurant scene, I find myself craving the basics more and more which is how I found myself back at where it all(most) started.
The atmosphere is absolutely unpretentious - and honestly, the lack of high pitched ear-splitting order taking and hello/thankyou/goodbyes is rather refreshing. Small, dark and the most bar-like out of all the izakaya's, it feels like a nice place to relax and not worry about your date ogling the skimpy outfits worn by the hot waitresses at the "other" place.
The food here is good - not outstanding, but good. Consistent throughout the years, which is just how I like it. Stopping in for a light dinner on a Tuesday evening, we were seated immediately - the place was probably about 2/3r'ds full when we walked in at 6 pm.
We had the cheese croquette - 3 golf ball sized mashed tater tots with melted cheese and bacon inside. Definitely tasty and satisfying, but the texture is not as silky smooth as it could be. Panfried mushroom & butter udon was very nice. Also had the Gyu Shabu salad - refreshing daikon and greens served over beef. Total bill before tip was $22 without drinks.
Perfectly hit the spot and left me thinking, I should come back here more often! -
Review from Claire C.
Vancouver, BC
3/31/2011
A friend and I went in for a small bite a few hours before yoga class. We ordered a meat & vegetable gyoza, cheese croquettes, salmon sashimi and spring rolls.
I have to say that the cheese croquettes were my favourite- kind of like a deep-fried potato ball with cheese and bacon (although I didn't taste any bacon).
The salmon sashimi was disappointing ($4/3pcs) as it was orange-y in colour and not the bright red and delicate flavour that I like. I associate the flavour and thickness of the slices that I got more with all-you-can-eat quality. The gyoza was okay ... perhaps because we played it safe with the ingredients. And the spring rolls were perfectly crispy but all I could taste was mushroom.
Overall, I'm hoping that if we visit again and stay a bit longer, order a bit more of a variety, we will be pleasantly surprised. -
Review from Safa S.
9/10/2008
This place is decent... You can either sit on the ground or sit on chairs. Usually the place is really busy.
Chikuwa Cheese- fish tube with stuffed cheese- good
Mentankio Yakiudon- spicy cod roe with butter-good -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
8/27/2008
Around the peak dinner hour and into the evening, Gyoza King is absolutely packed and you must wait and wait and wait, usually on the sidewalk out front.
Around lunchtime it's positively dead - as a good a time as any to stop in for a quick bowl of ramen and a plate of the eponymous gyozas, preferably pork for me.
The place is open late, til about 1 am or so. Those who don't like standing around on the sidewalks waiting for a table should plan to sidle in a bit later in the evening. They've got all the Japanese beers, chu-hai cocktails, and mysterious specials you could possibly want. The servers are great too - the kitchen may get a little slow at times, but no one could accuse those girls of not hustling.
The room is pretty small, so if you're with a large group, plan to get cozy with one another. Also, if you want to sit on the platform to the left of the door, remember to remove your shoes, or very bad things will happen.Listed in: Irraishaimase!, Everyone loves a lineup
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Review from Stacey E.
10/1/2009
If you find yourself arriving in Vancouver after all the restaurants are closed and are even considering lining up for street meat with all the drunks you should head down Robson to this little hole in the wall. It's a steamy cozy somewhat clean Japanese student hangout. It stays open late - in fact I think maybe it never closes.
This is not a Sushi place, you can get Robata, Udon, Sashimi, Don etc. The best thing to order is the Gyoza and the sake to help kill the germs you are probably absorbing from the sticky table top.Listed in: Hole-in-the-wall Vancouver
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Review from Justin W.
Vancouver, BC
1/13/2009
This place is awesome!
As a local, I feel a little embarrassed that I never knew about this place sooner..The place is setup quite nicely despite having a very small space. The food tastes very authentic, and the service is very good.
We ordered a beef salad, Fried Gyoza, udon noodles and of course, Sake. There are all sorts of different people in there, which fit the environment that I was looking for.
They were also very polite when informing us about when the last calls for food and drinks were. A great place to eat and definitely recommended for anyone! -
Review from Adam K.
Vancouver, BC
4/18/2009
Came here last week and it was good. I think I probably ordered the wrong things so I'm going to give this place a second chance.
The pork gyozas and the vegetable gyozas were good. I'm not expert, but I woulda liked a little bit of crispiness on them which wasn't there. However, the stuffing inside actually had some decent flavor, the vegetable gyozas has a fresh but strong spinach flavour to them.
We had a tofu salad. Nothing special, the dressing was nicely balanced though.
The katsudon was decent but nothing special.
Given the price and my positive experience with the gyozas, I will probably be back but try ordering more of the tapas type things. -
Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
It's okay. There was nothing bad I experienced, but there wasn't anything standing out either. Cute but reasonably sized tasting portions for a price that won't hurt your budget to continue your crawl.
Ordered a few of their dishes:
- Miso Sesame Garlic Ramen. Definitely not as tasty as Kintaro and the noodles resemble the instant variety so I would skip unless you're sharing just to have a good variety of dishes on the table.
- Ebi Mayo. I expected a lot especially with the way it was prepared. Perfectly cooked shrimps smothered in mayo and chopped chives. After that eyeful, the taste was plain. Nothing sweet, nothing salty.
- Fried Oysters. Three gigantic pieces of oysters served with tartar sauce. Who wouldn't love fried oysters. Crunchy outside and fresh, juicy oysters inside. If there was one thing I would change, it's the dip. You know what made this dish shine? The gyoza sauce provided in each and every table.
- Grilled Eel Onion Egg Bowl. A donburi dish that pretty much sums it up from the name.
- Chikuwa Cheese. Meh. I can't taste the cheese. No dip provided. Stood out with the goyza sauce by the table.
- Chicken Prawns & Chives Gyoza. Again self-explenatory and the actual highlight of our meal which I wasn't surprised since this is essentially where they stamp their restaurant's name and place their reputation on the line. Succulent ingredients and essentially a perfectly pan-fried gyoza.
The service was very good. They will leave you alone and let you enjoy your dishes. Although if you needed a refill of water, you're going to have to call them over rather than them proactively checking each and every table.
The main highlight of Gyoza King is not their dish, but actually their gyoza sauce that they provide in every table. A little bit tangy, a little bit zesty. Whatever dish that arrived at our table, it tasted ordinary. Gyoza sauce to the rescue which then made the fried dishes taste alike. Whoops. -
Review from Raffy E.
Vancouver, BC
12/19/2009
Oh Gyoza King, how much do I love thee? Let me count the number of times I've come to your doorstep, drunkenly ordering food at midnight, happily dealing with your super-friendly servers, and then stumbling home on foot right after with my fare: Three... at least I think it was just three. I tend to black out, but anyway...
Three times I have made you my last stop before heading home and noshing on your greasy tasty treats. One late night I even took a bus from the bar to get to you, and I still don't quite remember how I made it from the bus stop to your door four blocks away, but somehow I was just drawn, as if by some wondrous food magic.
I swear next time I'll take a cab to get to you faster, although that would mean I'd have less to spend on your delicious morsels... Oh why must you test me so!?! -
Review from Emoh E.
10/2/2008 1 photo
The food here is comforting. Lots of flavor. Pork and chives gyoza, pork and shrimp gyoza, are both decent with flavor and texture.
We also had their ramen with pork soup noodles and stirfry udon noodles with butter and mushrooms. Lovely.
Open late. I hear a lot of chefs head here after work so it's good comfort food for them, too (I'm assuming). Service is hot and cold from what I understand but it was good the day we went. We went for early lunch so it wasn't too busy yet. By the end of our meal all the tables were taken. -
Review from Bob P.
Vancouver, BC
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great gyozas and lunch boxes. Skip the ramen...much better places in the area for that. Can get crowded if you go during typical busy times.
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Review from J C.
Vancouver, BC
2/16/2009
They don't call this place Gyoza King for no reason. They got some pretty darn good gyoza. My favorite is the shrimp, pork, and chive. And of all the izakaya places in Vancouver I've tried so far (Guu with Garlic, Guu, Hapa Izakaya, Zakkushi, Kingyo, Shiro Bay...), this place has the best ebi mayo.
Not a great all around dinner place, but definitely check it out for a late night snack!
