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Ho Su Bistro
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Korean Japanese, Korean [Edit]
254 Queen St WToronto, ON M5V 1Z8
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Queen Street West, Downtown Core
(416) 848-9456
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
72 reviews for Ho Su Bistro
Review Highlights
72 reviews in English
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Review from Johnny H.
Toronto, ON
5/9/2012
Foods are actually quite good. Chirashi has a decent amount of thick chunks of fresh sashimis, and the rice has the right amount of sweet vinegary taste. Tempuras are very crispy, and the natural taste of original ingredients are alive.
But the service is painfully slow at times. There were many occasions where I waited for my chirashi, which only requires dumping rice onto a bowl and slicing fish meats, for more than half an hour. This is quite baffling if you look at the number of people working in the restaurant.
Tables are quite small, and the dining areas are claustrophobia-inducing. It is very tight and narrow. There is virtually no privacy. The noise level is quite high as well. Tables are placed too close to each other. Servers barely come by to look after you. This is quite baffling as well since there seems to be too many servers working in the restaurant.
This is a very decent sushi restaurant overall. No, it doesn't have elegant dishes or creative foods with sophisticated tastes, but it has decent foods that are worth the price. It's just that the restaurant is always busy and service isn't satisfactory.
Trivia: Ho su means "lake" in Korean. -
Review from Shannon F.
Toronto, ON
I have a soft spot for Ho Su as I lived around the corner for almost 8 years. Its a perfect cheap and cheerful lunch or take out spot. Its fast, fresh and consistent.
My favourites are the vegetable gyoza, the vegetable tempura and vegetable rolls but they also do a very nice bento box for lunch that I think I posted a picture of when I was there last. I used to eat the fish and found it quite fresh here but don't eat is as much anymore. I thoroughly enjoy the vegetarian options here.
When you dine in you automatically get tea (if you want it of course!) and a kimchi plate and some edamame. Nice touch even though I don't fancy the kimchi. It's fast, friendly and fresh - and the take out counter is just as friendly and effecient.
High marks for Ho Su in my old hood :-) Dine-in, take-out or delivery. -
Review from Emily M.
12/7/2011
I was here for a large birthday dinner (20+ pple) and service and food were great! The server put up with our annoying slightly drunken antics. They put us in the back of the restaurant (very wise). The lay out of the place is ideal for hosting a large group. Good veg and meat options!! Everyone is happy. :)
Awesome free appetizers include, sald, miso soup, edamame, kimchi, those little soy beans...and some other pickled spicy thing...
And they don't have candles or cake - but if you want that (for a bday) just tell them ahead of time and they'll do it!
Side Note: This location is WAY better than the Yonge and Eglinton location (I refuse to actually go to the other location). I dont understand how there can be such a difference between the two locations. -
Review from Geofferson M.
Toronto, ON
4/12/2012
This is a favorite of mine for Queen St.. I like ordering off their vegetarian sushi section and it's one of the few sushi places downtown where you can replace white rice for brown rice (for an extra charge). They don't charge for tea. The service and consistency of the the experience is great. They also have decent hours during the week if you want a late dinner.
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Review from Jason L.
East York, ON
11/10/2011
This has to be one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in the city. They do it right here. The lunches are insanely affordable and quality eats!
I usually enjoy a bento box, but recently had sushi and it was killer, also the miso soup is addictive, saki on the side and now we're talkin.
Great service and prices are great.
Highly recommended -
Review from Kate H.
York, ON
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I go here with a good friend for dinner once a month, and we get bibimbap. It comes with miso and a bit of salad, and we drink bottomless cups of green tea.
It's a crazy cheap meal (like $15 each with tax and tip) and the bowls are hot, full, and super tasty. Service is what I've come to expect in spots like this (you are served by 2 or 3 different very busy people that you have to be a little pushy to flag down, whatever, just holler) but for us, it's the perfect thing.
You can usually find street parking somewhere around here in the evenings, which is good as well. -
Review from Maheen M.
10/23/2011
Hosu's is one of my favourite sushi spot on the Queen Street strip. Food is always good and consistent. Over the past while, they have re-branded the restaurant's menu and it has done the chain very well. (They have a sister location by Yonge & Eglinton)
Service is quick and attentive. With every meal, they bring wonderful side dishes (kimchi, potato, beans and edamae (sp?))
Price is affordable, they have some killer lunch specials under $10.
Check out Hosu's if you are in the Queen Street West area! -
Review from Zee K.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2011
This place blew me out of the water. It could be that I'm a Vancouverite and thus always set my sushi expectations low if I am anywhere else in the world, but we stumbled into Ho Su expecting average sushi and got so much more!
My friend ordered a chicken teriyaki bento box ("probably the best box she's ever tasted"), and I ordered the sashimi bento which was on special for 8.95 and an avocado cucumber roll. Two seconds later, the waitress stopped by with edamame, miso soups, and some Korean appetizers ( kimchi, some kind of bean (soy?) in sauce and possibly some kind of tuber in a spicy-ish sauce. Quite tasty.
On top of all that, the boxes both came with healthy portions of salad and rice. My friend's tempura was crispy, rather well-breaded (perhaps slightly overly so) and not very greasy at all. My sashimi was probably a larger portion than I would have gotten ordering just a small sashimi platter on its own for a similar price.
Very, very impressed, both with the value for money and the quality of the food. -
Review from Robin D.
9/20/2011
Got the bibimbap with chicken. Usually would go with beef, but wanted something cooler that day.
Portions here are very generous in size. Had a sashimi and tempura to share. Sashimi looked really appetizer and was spread on rice. Yumm...
Had to ask the waiter and waitress many times for tea, water, the bill. I did not mind, but I would not come here when you are on in a rush. -
Review from Shanta' R.
2/8/2012
Amazing fast delivery and the food is hot and so good full of flavor!!!! I got chicken udon and my roomie ordered sushi gonna go Finnish eating it now new fav place!!!
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Review from Archimedes T.
Toronto, ON
9/26/2011
Went here for lunch, had a bulgogi + rice and a sampling of tempura from my friend's dish. Price wise, this was expensive for the quality of food I got compared to Korean Grill which was a less than a block east of here.
The only reason this place got the other star was the tempura I tasted wasn't half bad. However, the rest of the meal was blah. Not going here again anytime soon. -
Review from Tanya N.
6/15/2011
I had fond memories of coming here with my sister for their lunch specials when we both used to work close to each other. I loved their Korean Chicken & jap chae.
We recently went back and I was looking forward to it again but was disappointed. Had the korean chicken lunch bento box and california rolls. My chicken was bland, jap chae was overly peppery and the roll was too warm. I lost my appetite not even half way through so I didn't finish it.
Not sure what happened Hosu....you were so good once upon a time.Listed in: Too Many Rolls to Choose From
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Review from Myrem D.
Mississauga, ON
11/13/2011
*This review is based only on delivery*
on any given evening when the bf & I crave for sushi, Ho Su`s menu always manages to be the top contender of the menu pile. No, it is not because of its glossy red cover or the default easy level on the menu readability. Simply because at the end of the wash we all look for the same thing - Good food , very reasonable pricing and convenience. Reminding us of the value to Yelps conception.
The food is delivered under 40minutes and has consistently been of good quality (considering some items contain raw ingredients). I am very particular about my avocado and I have yet to meet a discoloured avocado piece in my maki roll. For fake sushi lovers, this is a pretty big indicator as to
a) how well the product quality is
b) even with popularity the standard of food has not faltered
our usual order :
spicy tuna maki roll - $4.95
California roll - $3.95
Sashimi appetizer - $6.95 (2tuna, 2salmon, 2whitefish)
green dragon - $8.95 cali wrapped with avocado
beef galbi - 9.95
bbq spicy chkn skewers - 2 long skewers for only $3.95
Here's a short story of what happens when gluttony, adventure itching and hungry belly take over the rational side of your brain - After the 4th time of choosing this place as our usual sushi delivery , we decided to try another sushi place. Unlike Alice in wonderland, it was not a good adventure. It actually ended up a bad mistake.
Moral of the story : If it ain't broke, don't be lookin to fix it.
xoxo
M.Listed in: 30 day November Yelp Challenge
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Review from neesa r.
Updated - 12/7/2011
came here for friend's bday with a group of 20 people.
at the beginning we were seated at two different tables but they allowed us to move some tables around and stay all together as a group. koodos to that.
another great thing is that they did bring separate bills to all of us and there was no gratuity included! whoa!
great service overall and a perfect place for huge loud crazy groups!Listed in: Good for big groups
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/14/2011
ok that was my second attempt to try out korean restaurant, because last time I tried to go to one… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie M.
East York, ON
7/20/2011
I have mainly ate at the location near Yonge/Eglinton but I don't work up there anymore. So I frequent the Queen St. West location now. I don't eat sushi but this is my favourite restaurant in the city for their chicken teriyaki and veggie tempura.
They have a mix of Japanese and Korean foods on the menu. The staff are always pleasant. The food is usually hot and fresh.
Sadly this past visit my veggie tempuras were almost raw. But my rice, chicken and veggies were great! The shrimp tempura was hot and fresh. -
Review from August L.
9/21/2010
Why do I torture myself?
Every time I go here I always get sick (when I eat the sushi). EVERY TIME!
WHY IS THIS PLACE POPULAR?
I have no idea why all my friends gravitate to this place. Is it b/c it's downtown? probably. Does it have a large selection of korean/japanese food? yes. Is the food pretty? yes. Is the food fresh? NO
FOOD
I always get sick at Ho Su and this time was no different.
When my friends and I first got our appetizers, we picked up an edename bean and holy smokes, it stank like pure rotten food. We were all like "wtf". I knew we should have left at that moment.
We gave it to the waitress and she was like, no it's fine. She then smelt it and then said she would take it to the front to ask them if it was alright. She never came back.
So we ordered. I had the spider roll and the giant something role. gah I don't even want to remember.
And then...yes...my stomach started feeling cramping up and I was getting dizzy. I was not massively sick but sick w/n 1/2hr of eating my meal.
My dinner date got cut short and I stank up the bathroom.
Sick rating: 2
1 (just a little sick) to 5 (Emergency, I think i have a parasite)
I wasn't dying of pain but I did feel really sick.Listed in: My Sick (as in Diarrhea) List
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Review from Mama t.
Toronto, ON
12/3/2011
Vegan in Loooove!! I love Ho Su. So do my 3 and 4 y old. All vegan, we are able to order just about anything off of the menu. You can also ask for brown rice instead of white. Veggie bi bim bop? YES! Tons of veggie appetizers, maki, hand rolls, and even the broth of the soup can be ordered vegan. The prices are great-some of the best I've seen downtown.
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Review from Ted A.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2010 7 Check-ins Here
Value is the name of the game at Ho Su Bistro, and luckily it tastes amazing too!
No matter what you order, you will be served some Korean appetizers, which is a nice bonus to snack on. The pricing is extremely reasonable, the menu offers great selection, and you've got the choice of both Korean and Japanese food! Although I would love everything on the menu, I keep coming back to the bento boxes so I can have a bit of everything. It's all delicious, and the service is fast and friendly too.
The atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired. There isn't much in terms of decoration or interesting lighting, which doesn't really matter for what you eat, but I think it's important to the overall experience when you dine out.
From the outside, it looks like a tiny place, but it actually spans quite far back into several large rooms. There is plenty of seating, I've seen a number of large groups come and eat here, so I would disagree with the complaints about it being crammed.
I've tried most of the Japanese places in central Queen West (you have a good number to choose from), and this is my #1 pick in the area. -
Review from Kevin C.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2010 18 Check-ins Here
I had no idea how much I enjoyed Korean food until I tried this place. Lots of vegan/vegetarian options. My favourite dish is the Dolsot Vegetable Bibim Bop; tofu, veggies with glass noodles on rice, served in a stone bowl. It's tasty and quite filling.
The most amazing thing about this place, and I'm guessing about Korean restaurants in general, are all the appetizers they bring before your meal! They bring you salad, miso soup, steamed edamame, spicy cabbage, little (soy?) beans in something of a bbq sauce, and a couple other things that I'm not entirely sure of, but they're darn tasty. You're practically full before the meal even gets there! Alright, that's not entirely true but you get what I mean.
All that and conveniently located close to the Scotia bank theater. Grab a meal before your next movie!
- Scotia bank is going to give me some free movie tickets for name dropping them right? Well it's worth a shot. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2010
I am SUPER surprised and delighted to be writing this review. i spent a couple days at the MTCC (Convention Center) this week and had some ABYSMAL meals. (watch out for my East Side Marios review). So after today's show, I really wanted some Korean, my companion really wanted Japanese, so we decided to compromise. When I moved to Toronto a decade ago, HoSu was the go-to, and I went ALL the time for lunch. I had heard that it went downhill and hadn't ventured in years, but we were starving and it was within walking distance so we decided to give it a try.
I have eaten out almost every day in the last week during a ridiculous work schedule, at cheap dives and nice restaurants, and unbelievably the service at HoSu today was by FAR the best service I have had all week. Our server was beyond attentive. My tea was refilled every couple of minutes, our Korean side-dishes were replaced the second we finished them. She was there constantly attending to our every need and was so unobtrusive, that we didn't even notice her. I would look down and my tea was full.
Additionally the food was good! I had the silken tofu soup (Soon Tofu) and I wasn't expecting much, but I was surprised. The tofu wasn't as silky delicious as House of Soon or Buk Chang but it was a decent effort. I told the waitress that I liked it spicy and it came out super spicy with all sort of extra chillis in the broth. My only complaint is that it was served with white rice, and was a little pricier but I was decent for sure.
My companion had a Spider Roll which was good, nothing super special but good. He enjoyed his sashimi bento, there was alot of fish, and the waitress gave me the miso and salad even though it didn't come with my meal.
In the end it wasn't the best Japanese or Korean in the world, but it was typical Toronto standard, and really not as bad as I was expecting.
Full Bonus Star for the incredible Service. I was seriously shocked. -
Review from Keili T.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2011
I waited an HOUR and a HALF for my delivery order to arrive (sushi and tempura for 2). I ended up calling to cancel. It takes me 15 minutes to walk here from my condo, I do not live very far.
Not impressed, Ho Su. Not impressed -
Review from Michelle L.
Richmond Hill, ON
11/12/2011
I previously encountered cockroach incidences at both locations many years ago: a roach running around on the dining floor at Queen location and a floating one in my soup noodle at Eglinton. I had it reported to DineSafe, who later reported they had cleaned up their act.
I always loved their bibimbop so I decided to go back again last night, but encountered yet another small roach in my salad! The waitress did not look the least bit alarmed when I pointed it out to her, and only mumbled a "sorry" before bringing another salad, which I did not feel like eating at that point.
Strike three, Hosu. Will not be going back. -
Review from Bryan G.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 1/7/2011
Another update as Connie T's recommendation of getting Korean food vs Japanese food here seemed to make sense after having a less-than-Japanese plate of inari sushi. I went straight for the bibim bop and was not disappointed. You can get it with or without the egg but you have no choice - you must accept a load of delicious vegetables including sprouts, carrots julienne, spinach and others I can't even remember right now. Gawd. It's lunch time.
MENU RECOMMENDATIONS
dotsot beef bibim bop (with egg)
beef bibim bop (without)
HUMOUROUS STORY
Actually, this is more of a sad story. I can't remember the last time I went to Ho Su and caught a glimpse of my previously mentioned counter girl cleavage. I guess it really is winter.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/18/2010
A couple of things to add...
I find the tempura is quite heavy. For a less deep fried taste I asked… Read more »
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Review from Mark M.
Toronto, ON
9/24/2009 ROTD 1/24/2010
I really like Ho Su Bistro. I can only afford the higher class Japanese restaurants a few times a year but I really love Japanese food, so Ho Su for me is great for those times I really need an injection of Japanese cuisine.
The service here has always been very nice and accommodating. The place is clean and the atmosphere inside is warm but I wouldn't go too far and call this place intimate. The price and location make this place great for dates and tourist.
The last time I went to Ho Su, I ordered their chicken teriyaki, which was on special that night. I really like that with every order comes a few small dishes of edamame, kimchi and other treats. The meal came in a bento box and had a few California rolls and tempura pieces to go with the chicken. The California rolls tasted okay but the tempura was simply delicious. Two large shrimps with a couple of yams covered in one of the lightest tempura batters I ever had. The chicken teriyaki itself was nice even though it was a little over cooked. I found it funny how I ended up enjoying one of the side dishes more than the main attraction itself. I also ordered an ice cold Sapporo beer with my meal. The best thing though was that I was full and it cost me about 20 dollars including tip and tax.
One time I went here I was dared by a friend to order a beer. Being only 16 that time and still looking like I was in elementary school, I was surprised that I actually got one. Maybe to the workers there I looked 19 but I was amazed I didn't get carded. With that story told, I recommend this place for all underage alcoholics.
There isn't a lot to hate about Ho Su bistro when you get good food for even better prices. If you want high end Japanese, this place is not for you but if you just want to chow down to kill those Japanese cravings, I would totally recommend you to Ho Su. -
Review from Carmen D.
9/4/2010
Serviceable, inexpensive and good at churning out the customers.
Seating is cramped but they've got lots of bento-box or -buri options.
Getting take out from here is good.
I miss that Pages bookstore that used to be next door. God, that totally makes me feel like an old person.Listed in: TDot Adventures
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Review from susan c.
9/14/2009
The S.O: Whaddya feel like eating?
Me: I dunno. What do YOU feel like eating?
The S.O: Korean?
Me: Koreatown's too far.
The S.O: Wanna order from Ho Su?
Me: Sigh. O.K.
We have this exact conversation once every 2-3 weeks. And it pretty much sums up how I feel about Ho Su: default option for Korean when I'm too lazy to cook it myself or make the schlep.
For a Japanese-Korean restaurant that has no Japanese or Korean language on the menu, and caters to a mostly white clientele, the food at Ho Su isn't that bad--especially given their portion-to-price ratios. (Geez, that sentence had more disclaimers than a car ad.)
My favorite thing to get here is #70, the hwae dop bop (raw fish on rice that you mix together with a tangy-spicy sauce, $10). The S.O. usually gets #57, the bulgogi bento ($10), or one of the big, spicy Korean soups (#71-73, $9-10).
I've given up on the Japanese side of the menu as the cooked dishes never taste quite right to me and they stick you with undesirable fish cut in weird ways in the sushi/sashimi combinations.
I always marvel at how Ho Su is consistently packed for lunch and dinner. I guess the low prices, high-traffic location, and English-speaking staff keep the hoards a-coming.Listed in: L'il Kim Chi and More
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Review from Lan T.
Toronto, ON
6/6/2009
I had 2 coupons for this restaurant from the Entertainment book, and it specifically states in the book that you can use up to 3 coupons per table. Hosu would only accept 1. I protested, but the waitress curtly told me she will not take more than one. I asked her to check with her manager and she claimed she was the manager. Not one to upset anyone who handles my food, I did not argue further and called the Entertainment book company when I got home. They apologized to me and told me that this restaurant did not play by the rules. I was issued coupons for my favorite restaurant, Michael's Back Door. A high end restaurant that doesn't treat it's coupon customers like second class citizens.
By the way, Hosu's food was not bad. Not exceptional either. Besides the coupon incident, the service was subpar at best.Listed in: Blacklisted
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Review from Angela L.
9/6/2009 1 photo
Where do you go when two of you are dining out and one of you wants Korean, while the other's feeling for Japanese? Ho Su, where a trio of Korean appetizers (edamame, kimchee, and spicy beans) are served on the house while you flip through the colourful menu featuring tantalizing photos, is sure to satisfy.
From the sidewalk, you'll notice the chalkboard advertising a number of daily specials that are incredible steals of a deal (under $10) range from hot rice dishes to sushi sets.
The list of appetizers to choose from is lengthy. My favourite is the kaki fry ($4.95), lightly breaded, deep fried oysters. The chap chae ($2.95) on the other hand, is nothing but a disappointing little pile of vegetable-less glass noodles. For those who like a like side of kick with your raw, try the Korean hwae dop bop ($9.95), diced assorted sashimi atop salad leaves served with spicy sauce and a side of rice.
The tiny front patio right on Queen is a great place to people watch, but beware of crazies who are not afraid to come right up to your face to tell you something you'll spend the rest of your dinner trying to decipher. That's happened twice to me, but out of many, many visits, so it's like winning the lottery. Not everyone is so lucky. -
Review from jill t.
12/14/2009
I liked the fact that this restaurant was a short walk from my hotel. Within 10 minutes and I was sitting pretty, sipping hot tea, and perusing the menu. After 10 minutes of indecision (nothing really stuck out or screamed "you must order me!"), I settled on this menu:
appetizer = edamama + sushi pizza
entree = sushi/sashimi combination
As I am new to this "sushi pizza" phenomenon (I don't believe SF has any places that serve this dish), I just had to try it! For those not in the know (like me), the "dough" part of the pizza is crispy rice, flattened in a round disc. Topped with tobiko, salmon and some kind of spicy thingy. It was cut into 6 bite-sized wedges.
Sushi pizza - 2 stars. The crispy rice was drenched in oil. Perhaps it was fried? I have no idea. I took one bite of the first wedge, tried to savor it, but couldn't bring myself to finish it. Instead, while waiting for my entree to arrive, I ended up eating all the toppings (salmon + tobiko) ... which left all the crispy rice wedges intact. Perhaps the local Torontoans love sushi pizza, but it's not my cup of tea.
The sushi/sashimi combo entree was just the ticket though! Fish was fresh and I finished most of it. 4 out of 5 stars.
Side note: what truly made my dining experience at Ho Su, though, was the neighboring table to my right. Our tables were not 4 inches apart, so I overheard their whole conversation! They were two 20-something Asian guys, who kept ogling and commenting on how cute two other diners were (who were seated at the table to my immediate left). I was soooo tempted to just turn to the guys and ask if they wanted to switch tables. LOL hilarious. I learned they were hot for those girls, they really like Matrix ("this tastes like chicken because the Matrix tells me it tastes like chicken"), one of them will be moving to Japan next year, and both are college boys who have exams next week. -
Review from Tara A.
6/28/2009
My BF and I ordered delivery from Hosu last week and I just wanted to make a note about how this restaurant really displayed the three F's.
Fast - they took the order and delivered it very fast and efficiently
Friendly- the woman who took the order was lovely. The delivery man was happy and just so great
Fresh - sometimes when I order sushi delivery, it isn't so fresh but this place delivered fresh and delicious fish.
Just passing on the awesome service and food experience I had when ordering delivery at Hosu. -
Review from Monica F.
8/24/2010
Meh. I think this place is okay but nothing special. The patio on Queen is kinda neat for people-watching, but I just don't like how crammed you feel. Inside is a bit better, but again... always packed.
My opinion: over-rated.Listed in: Bento Box Bonanza!
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Review from Catherine L.
Toronto, ON
1/24/2010
One of my go-to places when I feel in the food for some cheap sushi or korean food near me or shopping on Queen St W
The sushi doesn't compare to Japango (my current favourite), but it is half the price and of decent quality. They always have specials on the board so look for those to save even more. Last night I went and got a sashimi bento box for $8.95 - came with 10 pieces of thick sashimi (3 tuna, 4 salmon, & 3 butterfish), rice, salad, miso soup, and carrots & bean sprouts. Enough to fill me up. My boyfriend ordered the largest bento box there, which only set him back $15.95, which had everything mine had, plus tempura (both shrimp and vegetable), california rolls and his choice of chicken, beef, pork or salmon teriyaki. It was so big I had to help him finish it!
The service is fast. I also really like their appetizers - beans, kimchi, some potato thing in kimchi, and my favourite - edaname. It's one of the few restaurants i know that actually give you edaname as a free appetizer.
Overall it's a great place to go if you feel like some sushi or korean food, but don't want to spend too much and want some fast service. Again, the food is not the most high quality, nor the most authentic, but it's a very consistent option that won't break the bank. -
Review from Claudia C.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2011
This is one's on my take-out roll. If I don't feel like cooking, then I'll order a sashimi trio and a couple of healthy rolls (think no spicy mayo, tempura, or cream cheese), all available in natural brown rice. They're nothing special, but everything I get is freshly made and just what I ordered. It's not cheap for takeout, either, but I can still get a decent dinner for two at around $30.
Bonus points: the extra brown rice that comes with the sashimi can be saved and made into part of a later meal. -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
7/10/2011
the Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Ho Su provides tasty sushi at affordable prices in an extremely good location. If you're a tourist, eat on the patio that overlooks Queen/John, the "MuchMusic intersection" in one of Toronto's coolest and most televised areas.
I have no complaints about this place. They have sushi for every level of sushi fan; try anything with avocado or salmon: it will taste creamy and delicious. The prices are the norm, with sushi combinations from $5-$15 and most entrees costing around $12.
Complimentary appetizers like Kim chi, salad, miso soup, edamame, will arrive at your table with most sushi orders.
4 stars -
Review from Keeley-Ann H.
Mississauga, ON
2/5/2011
I used to come here all the time with my best friend because another friend had recommended it. Its really cheap and you get a lot of little goodies before you main meal if you order the bento box. I always get the teriyaki chicken box. I love tempura and it includes that and a few other things (cant remember now) Overall i like the food. I mean you get what you pay for. I always sit in the far back because its quieter and hidden from the rest of the place which i like.
The one thing though that totally turns me off if the fact that my girlfriend (who originally raved about this place and told me to go there) ate there for lunch and saw a cockroach crawling on the wall. She immediately left and has never gone back since. Admittedly i have gone a few times since, but i am always looking around the walls lol -
Review from Dishan W.
3/7/2010
4.5 would be my ideal rating for Ho Su.
A sushi restaurant that looks fancy, serves up great food, but still within a reasonable price range. A disadvantage however is that there usually is a line up during peak times (which should mean people like it right?). It's got a very convenient location if you are to catch a show or movie in the area.
The food is better than your average sushi for the price range of about $15. And they do the simple things right for example, putting an effort into the generic salad you get (if you order a set or combo) and they also provide you with a nice assortment of snacks (I'm not familiar with all their names though, but there are around 6 different types from edamame to spiced cabbage).
The food like I said is very good and this is my #1 choice of venue for sushi around this area.
The staff are generally friendly, but during peak times, you can see that they are rushing quite a bit.Listed in: itadakimasu!!
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Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
5/14/2010
In order for me to eat sushi, I have to really be in the mood. Unlike some people, I don't want it all the time. When I *do* want it however, I usually head to Ho Su.
With some of the most reasonable sushi prices around town, Ho Su sits in a league of its own. Ho Su sushi is fresh and delicious and the staff does their best to be as efficient and quick as possible. I've often sat down, ordered, eaten and paid my bill all in the span of a half hour. Now that's noteworthy... especially when you're in a rush to get back to your Queen St. Shopping Spree.
The restaurant is pretty big (it stretches out and around in the back) and I've never had to wait for a table. Plus if you work in the vicinity, the good people at Ho Su are happy to offer you a discount!
The service is good, the sushi is great and the prices are unparallelled.
Happy eating! -
Review from Joe C.
8/18/2011
Always packed but they always seem to find seats for you. you dont wait too often in line. The tempura last time was very undercooked. The sashimi not so fresh. it's a hit and miss sometimes the food is great but there isn't any consistency. I gave a two star because of that.
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Review from Denise S.
Used to come here fairly often because of it's convenient location but was never that impressed with the sushi or other Japanese dishes. Really, the only selling point was the prices (big meal for under $10). I found the tempura to be heavy and greasy and the sushi to be meh.
Recently went back to give them another chance, but this time tried the Korean part of the menu. I had the vegetarian bibimbap that comes in a hot pot. Delicious! Also, nice that they serve the red sauce in a separate dish so that you can control the spicy-ness. Plus, if you order from the Korean dishes, you get all those free side dishes:)
So, my opinion of Hosu has improved and I would recommend trying some of their Korean dishes (and going somewhere else down the street if you want Japanese).Listed in: Patio Season!, Oishii!
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Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
11/29/2008
I've noticed that most reviewers here are commenting on the Japanese food here, but it's really not the first place I think of for sushi or Japanese food. I go Korean here, all the way.
I have a particular intimate relationship with their lunch special beef bibimbap, not only because "bibimbap" is, like, THE most incredible word to say out loud, but because it's quite tasty and ding-ding cheap if you take advantage of their lunch specials.
[Bibimbap]
The serving -- at least the takeout version -- is massive, especially for the price, even for someone like me who vacuums food down her throat before anyone else at the table lifts their chopsticks.
Also, I can attest the meat is super-crazy tasty and the accompanying stir fry nice and crispy. It's made an addict out of me, but I'll admit that on occasion it's been a little bit too salty to stomach for one single food-vacuum session.
[Bi-Bim-BAP!]
