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Iki Japanese Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
2756 Broadway WVancouver, BC V6K 2G4
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 731-4771
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Iki Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...your usual white rice with brown rice here, it really makes..." In 12 reviews -
"...love the Volcano Roll with it's tower of tempura yam fries." In 3 reviews -
"This place knows sushi, and they do it with a twist." In 10 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Purdy J.
3/22/2012
Busy little Japanese restaraunt with a dark, cosy atmosphere. Bathroom is a little run down but clean and was once very modern with nice fixtures and automatic paper towel dispenser and automatic garbage can!
Food was simply delicious with brown rice available at no extra cost!
-Their bowls are delicious... I Love their healthy bowl with a healthy portion of avocado, nicely flavored brown rice, tasty seaweed salad, edamame and tuna/salmon sashimi. The other bowls looked really tasty and unique too.
-The yam fries are stellar... Crispy and light, almost like yam tempura fries.
-The negitoro roll was nice (maybe 3.5 stars).
-The cruncy roll was surprisingly good with salmon, tuna, crab (fake), avocado and brown rice that was coated with tempura but it was surprisingly not greasy and was actually very nice and light.
-The bc roll was very tasty but felt that was a bit too saucy.
Overall the rolls are a little bigger than bite size, and very yummy. I was very satisfied. The price is very reasonable too. Service is fast and efficient.
The restaurant is Located at a busy intersection right outside the 99 b-line bus stop. In the past this location has changed ownership many many times but iki has been here for quite some time; I think that definitely says something!
Note: No extra charge for brown rice but Tea is not complimentary, its costs extra. -
Review from Becky S.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2012
This place feels cozy and modern.
Favorites: Volcano Roll-a spicy tuna roll with yam fries piled on top -sounds weird, but is excellent. Vegetable Miso, and great bento box combinations.
Tips: Get there by 6 PM - Its gets busy fast. -
Review from Andre E.
Vancouver, BC
4/3/2012
Great place! The sushi here is delicious and well priced! The star roll and mango roll are favourites of mine. Plus, the Salmon Miso Chowder is the best. Service is pretty good and the food is consistently great. The brown rice sushi served here is fantastic and they don't charge more for it.
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Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
8/14/2011
What a delicious stop along the bus lines! Though I raised my eyebrow at the "Japanese Bistro", I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of food. I picked up some take out from here as I was rushing to get home, but the place inside is quite large, which a great space.
My order included the grilled sablefish (which is an amazing dish, complete with a side of yam tempura fries - AMAZING), a wakame salad (strange, because it's a pile of seaweed atop actual green salad along with some dressing on the side), and two rolls with the option to have brown rice instead of white. I picked the crispy mango roll and the 9th Avenue Roll. Both were good, but not amazing.
Overall, I wouldn't mind giving this place another visit - the sablefish and the yam fries are fantastic, and there are a lot of other rolls that I need to try (especially the "tarantura roll"!). Bonus for it's convenient location and ease of accessibility via transit!Listed in: Sushi!
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Review from Steve P.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2012
Great food at a great price, try to go for lunch it's quieter, such a small space gets really loud. $8 bento box is hard to beat!! If you find yourself going to Kitsaya down the street come over to Iki for the same price point but better quality food.
The staff is what makes this place very attentive and polite, very Japanese. I suggest trying the Amaebi, with their heads fried, or their ebi sunomono it's the best in the city!! -
Review from Nat P.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2010
Iki, I first met you within a month of moving to Vancouver. I was an awkward girl from the Maritimes, my palate, inexperienced.
Iki, you took my yam tempura fry virginity, very willingly, i will add. Your Yam Tempura Fries were hot, complicated, and just what my young hungry tongue was yearning for. These crystalline structures of yam, these fortresses of deliciousness drizzled in magical reductions spoiled me forever.
Yes, we had other great times, the not too salty miso, the perfect brown rice...those hurried tofu teriyaki lunches, 'specials' you used to call them...
but what i will always remember will be our Yam Tempura Fry times.
...Your staff were sometimes slow, and yes you were so often too busy... Your taste in music was questionable, and i never liked the art you had up on your walls...
But I do have to thank you Iki...
...even though sometimes i wish i could, so i could move on, and love other yam fries, other yam tempuras...i will never forget you. -
Review from Peter S.
12/6/2009
Not really a solid choice for me, more wobbly this particular night.
After seating ourselves in the crazy small corner behind some twigs, we sat there mulling over the menus. Tea never arrived so we decided on take-out and a mad dash through the downpour to the hopefully idling bus #22.
Gotta say that for a small dinner for two at $34 Iki is a rip off.
The Teriyaki Chicken was so flippin small. My heart sank when I opened the non recyclable styrofoam container at home. Really? That. For $8.
This was the first time I have ever had brown rice in my sushi, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Made for a way heartier bite. I just didn't order enough I guess.
Too rich for my blood. Iki. I fold. -
Review from Tim L.
8/25/2008
This Japanese restaurant is strangely a place where you can get some pretty good yam fries. It's clearly a Japanese take on it with it not being quite like yam tempura nor fully yam fries you'd get at a western restaurant. Either way it's delicious.
The staff seem to be making a genuine effort, but unfortunately it could be a little more attentive. There were often lulls in time and needing to ask more than once for refilling water.
Food however, was all delicious enough to make up for the minor inconveniences. -
Review from Geoff B.
12/13/2008
A solid choice for sushi in this sashimi saturated burgh. The fish is fresh and they use brown rice for most (all?) of their rolls. It's not the tastiest I've ever had, but the ingredients are quality and the brown rice is a hearty novelty for sushi veterans tired of the same old.
Service was great. I was greeted by the chef working behind the bar on entering and the waitress was attentive. The proprietors have done a great job of turning the slim space into an ambience filled dining room. It's dimly lit by funky blown glass chandeliers and the dark colours make it feel warm and welcoming.
Definately worth stopping by for something a bit different. -
Review from Daniella E.
Vancouver, BC
11/14/2009 1 photo
Saturday 1 pm
Thursday I came around 7:30 pm and there was a line to get in.. it's a small restaurant.. could fit approx. 50 people. So.. I came back today to try it out for lunch.. and I'm glad I did. In this laid back atmosphere the service was very polite, relaxed, and as the lounge jazz and folk music played my wait a pleasurable one.
I ordered the Power bowl. Plated quite modern and neatly done, a row of each raw tuna, raw salmon, avocado, cucumber, seaweed, edamame, radish, ginger and wasabi lays on top slightly sweet brown rice. It comes with a large spoon.. for people like me I guess who want to mash and mix it all up. I uploaded a picture of my mélange half way through eating. Wonderful!
Overall the food is fresh, well priced for large portions, and it has many healthful (brown rice), vegetarian and vegan options. My bill was $11.50 for my bowl and green tea. I left feeling satisfied! -
Review from David F.
Vancouver, BC
8/10/2009
The sushi is very good. The restaurant is nice and the prices are reasonable. I love the Volcano Roll with it's tower of tempura yam fries. Even the edamame beans are really good.
The big problem is the service, which can be really ropey. I don't mean that it's mean or rude or anything, just understaffed and disorganized. Because I like the food, I've been a few times and yet every time there are issues. Tonight, however, was the worst and regrettably, I don't see us going back.
We were three adults and two kids, so not a big group. The restaurant was busy, but really, that's the idea. Our meal took over two hours. Dishes arrived literally 90 minutes apart and unfortunately, the last dishes to arrive were what the kids ordered, so they were really hungry. Even the drinks took about 15 minutes to arrive at the start.
It seems there is little attempt to prepare an order so that the items arrive any time near each other. It's really such a shame because the food is very good and I feel that they mean well, they just need to work on the service, which I hope they do. -
Review from Gretchen C.
Vancouver, BC
9/27/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Iki's Sushi is a contemporary sushi establishment that is located on 2756 West Broadway. It is more commonly known as "Brown Rice" among its regulars, as it is a trendy and modern sushi place in the heart of Kitsilano that gives customers the option of substituting their traditional white-rice sushi for brown rice. The Fire Tower (a slight variation to the original yam fries) is the perfect appetizer to share - tempura yam fries with their special house sauce. Spicy, crispy, and absolutely delicious. They have a variety of rolls to choose from - The Star Roll (avocado, salmon, and tuna mixed in a roll that is presented in the shape of a star, to stay true to its name), The Crispy Mango Roll (a sushi roll containing a hint of mango and blueberry mayo), The Philly Roll (cream cheese and avocado wrapped in salmon), and typical, traditional sushi that can be found in almost every Japanese restaurant (California rolls, Dynamite rolls, tuna/salmon maki/nigiri, etc.). Set meals are also available on their menu - beef, chicken, or tofu teriyaki served with rice (a choice of brown or white), miso soup, a green salad, and yam fries... all for $8. Overall, it's a cute, small-scale restaurant with a trendy vibe, a great ambiance, cheap meals, and tasty food.
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Review from Will K.
Vancouver, BC
9/12/2010
It was rainy in Vancouver (as usual) and that particular day I forgot my rain gear, so I wanted to at least eat something decent. The bus I usually ride always stops in front of Iki and I decided to give it a try. It was around 7:30 PM, Saturday and there were people but the place was not crowded. I am almost certain it is Japanese owned and operated.
Iki bistro introduces many innovative dishes which are not entirely "traditional" Japanese. For example, their rolls incorporate ingredients like mango and avocado and may serve thai noodles with sweet sauce and sashimi. Also, brown rice may be used in sushi, which is unusual in Japan, as I understand. My belief is that innovation is useless if the basics are not mastered. Therefore, I had traditional nigiri sushi (tuna or maguro, toro, tamago, and saba) as appetizer, followed by a Power Sushi Bowl along with oolong tea.
I love sushi. I have found is that there are many inexpensive sushi eats where they use pretty good ingredients. However, in those places something in their 'execution' is lacking; cuts or slices may be uneven, the rice too warm, or no vinegar is used on it.
Unlike the aforementioned places, the nigiri sushi in Iki was very well made. Rice was just with the right consistency and temperature. Slices were done by experienced hands and the ingredients were top notch. It was as pleasant to both sight and taste. The Power Sushi Bowl incorporated veggies, thick sashimi, and brown rice. It included a miso soup. All tasted as they are meant to: fulfilling and fresh.
Service was pretty nice. Serving speed was moderate: not slow but not so fast.
I found the price rather adequate. Not a 10 CAD cheap eat but not expensive by any means. I consider it to be a very good value meal.
Will definitively come back because it is indeed a good bite. There is a sushi chef recommendation (20 CAD which includes a variety of sushi) that I will most certainly ask for next time. -
Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
7/27/2010
If there's one thing I love about Iki's, it's the Teppan roll. Pan seared with pesto and cream cheese?? Mmmm, it was an orgasmic, melt-in-your-mouth experience. I also enjoy the Brown Roll which makes for an interesting combo of sundried tomato and mustard. They've got nice vegetarian sushi choices. The unagi here is very yummy as well. I'd pass on the Dungeness crab though; it's bland in comparison to the other rolls.
Iki has a cozy atmosphere, but they should watch what they show on the TV. One night we were there, we were treated to a Discovery Channel show on gutting animals as we ate our sushi. -
Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2008 1 photo
The name alone cracks me up, but the food is so good I'll avoid all the obvious puns.
On a late-night hunt for a new place to try on Broadway, my boyfriend and I stopped into Iki just before they closed down for the evening. The sushi was great and the brown rice a nicer, chewier option to the standard white rice. The restaurant is intimate although we found the table too small.
We had a few communication challenges with our server, but got there in the end. I enjoyed the visit here, but Kitsilano Sushi still holds the prime real estate in my sashimi-loving heart. -
Review from Lauren N.
11/7/2008
I am so coming back to Iki the next time I'm in Van. Just when you think you've tasted all that Vancouver has to offer in terms of sushi, Iki slaps you in the face and gives you a good wake-up call. This place knows sushi, and they do it with a twist.
The yam fries are a must if you listen to me and go try this place out. Forget about yam tempura, that stuff's old school. These yam fries kick some serious tempura ass! They serve it with this amazing mayo sauce that's just the right amount of tangy, and it's not so heavy that you can taste the fat.
Their agedashi tofu is perfect, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Everything is fresh, which is standard for an A+ for sushi restaurants in my book. Also, try subbing your usual white rice with brown rice here, it really makes a difference. It's healthier, and it tastes really good here, not like the cheap brown rice stuff that might as well be bran.
I don't know how service is during the evenings, as I went in the afternoon, but the service was very good that time. Our waitress was quick and got all our food to us in no time, making sure the food was to our liking, and re-re-filling our tea cups.
This is the place I dream of when I'm eating sushi in my dreams. -
Review from Maha E.
11/20/2009
Now, I can't say that I've had a full IKI ATTACK experience as I chowed down on their food outside of their walls, but let me tell you what I did see.
I like the feel of this place- the artwork literally shimmers on the wall and despite being fairly narrow and having an odd similarity to the Death Star's trash chute, they definitely try and utilize their space as much as possible.
The sushi presentations on the plates that I saw were quite pretty AND you could even ask for your sushi to be made with brown rice! FTW! That was delish.
Please note: that this place seemed to have a bit of an American approach to Japanese cuisine. Example: the chicken terriaki was a rather small serving of grilled protein and their salad was an unbelievably plain, straight out of the box, spinach greens mix.
Something that I did not appreciate: their service. I know, right? How would I know- I was just ordering takeout. Well, the wait for my takeout was roughly half-an-hour, and regardless of being seated and clearly as wet as a fish from the storm outside, I was not offered a spot of tea. That is not customer service, yo.
Their prices are slightly on the steep side for me, but generally worth it.
Recommended Appie to share: Yam Tempura Fries.
Recommended Main deal: Chicken Udon.
Score: BROWN RICE! Save your gut, say no to bleech. -
Review from Sonya R.
Burnaby, BC
3/17/2010 ROTD 7/21/2010
Mmmm... try their herbed gyoza with balsamic reduction and the yammy roll. The dungeness crab roll was kind of bland, but this place is such a beautiful, mellow restaurant.. to me, this is my perfect design. High ceiling, beautiful mirrors and frames, dim lighting, quiet, unusual music. I love to come here, and it's one of the only restaurants I can get to if I take the 99.. that bus makes, like 5 stops!
Listed in: Supremest of Sushi's
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Review from Matt S.
Vancouver, BC
6/3/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Great service, very reasonable prices. Good Food and a cozy atmosphere. I will definitely go again.
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Review from Leslie C.
Vancouver, BC
7/8/2009
The décor here is fancy enough for a relaxed date, with dark wooden tables and a variety of unusual light fixtures. In the corner, there is a large television with closed-captioning.
I have to put in a vote for the brown rice, which is a healthy alternative that is difficult to find. The menu offers some unusual and exciting options. I've only been a few times, but each time was delicious.
The main drawback is that they close for a few hours in the middle of the day. -
Review from Shabnam T.
5/25/2011
very original menu and very tasty stuff ... specifically I love the way they cut their roles ... nothing ever fall apart ! I love love their Avalanche Roll with purple yam fries and cream cheese and also the Feta Cheese role with spinach, olive and soy beans .... I did not try all their menu but so far everything was great. The price and service is good.
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Review from Benny C.
Victoria, BC
3/22/2010
Good value, good selection of original menu items, pretty tasty, and as someone else mentioned - the tower of yam fries is a must! My only criticism was that the service was passive while there were people waiting for our table. I'd go back next time I'm in town.
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Review from Sarah R.
Vancouver, BC
3/5/2011
My go-to sushi spot in a city full to the brim with sushi restaurants. I like trying the new specials they come up with here (like edamame hummus!) and the fact that you can get everything made with brown rice. Everyone we take here becomes a fan of the Fire Tower, tempura yam fries with spicy sauces on them. You really can't go wrong with this location, price, and such a creative menu.
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Review from T F.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 7/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Loved it.... Try the pumpkin seed roll
