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Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
1030 Georgia Street WestVancouver, BC V6E 2Y3
Neighbourhoods: West End, Downtown
(604) 687-8588
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
45 reviews for Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...take advantage of their late night happy hour after 9:30 p." In 7 reviews -
"...I lived anywhere near Vancouver, I'd be here all the time." In 4 reviews -
"...nothing hits the spot like a sushi & sashimi boat at Kamei." In 4 reviews
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45 reviews in English
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Review from Rick S.
This review is for dessert only, but the food (at the next table over) looked really good and made me consider having a 2nd dinner in less than 2 hours (with dessert -review below- sandwiched in-between).
Bottom Line - Tempura ice cream (get it with green tea ice cream) and the Japanese flan were really really good. I want to come back, but the $6/hour street parking in this area of town is ridiculous!!
Do you know how hard it is to find tempura ice cream in Vancouver?! On my 4th Japanese restaurant try in less than 24 hours, we finally found Kamei Royale. Be sure to enter the building from Burrard street and go up the escalators (the restaurant address says Georgia, but there is no access from Georgia St.).
Came on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 with a friend and we ordered:
Tempura Ice Cream ($5.50 x2) - green tea and mango. We both enjoyed the green tea more because it isn't as sweet as the mango... and with powdered sugar and chocolate drizzled on top, the green tea was a nice contrast.
Japanese Flan ($6.50) - So after we each inhaled the tempura ice cream, we still had a sweet tooth and decided to order this based on the waitress' recommendation. It was good! I really liked the fresh fruit that came with it.
The bill for dessert came to $17.50 + 2.20 HST + 4.00 tip = $23.60 total for the two of us.
Service was fantastic. Our waitress (originally from Japan) was very attentive!!! -
Review from Chelsea W.
Calgary, AB
5/2/2012
After my boyfriend and I got out of school, we promptly packed up our bags and made a 10-hour road trip to Vancouver to make our week-long escape to see a concert that we have been much anticipating for months. A native to Calgary (born and raised baby!) our little city definitely does not compare to Vancouver. Accordingly to many people, sushi in Vancouver is amazing where I absolutely was wanting to go out for Japanese food.
After a failed first attempt dining at a crappy Japanese restaurant, we both made a long hard search for a restaurant that was decently priced and within walking distance from our hotel. Unfortunately my boyfriend who does not have much knowledge about Japanese cuisine decided to pick Kamei Royale because he didn't like my choices as they were vegan restaurants and he needs to have his beef or chicken. I wish he hadn't picked it where I secretly blame him for his choice (jk boyfriend...elephant shoe!!!).
The restaurant upon first appearances was nice and warm where you have to take an escalator ride up to enter. We were warmly greeted by the hostess and then promptly seated in a nice comfortable booth. And unfortunately that's about as good as the dinner got for me and him. After ordering from a rather dysfunctional looking menu as it looked like a collage of pictures and words mish-mashed together I settled on salmon sashimi, and some rolls whereas my boyfriend got the beef yakisoba dish.
The food was meh...hence the 3 star rating. The sashimi was nicely presented and had a great vibrant flavour from the lemon garnish. The rolls were okay tasting but they fell apart the moment you touch them. So I had to eat them with my hands...so much for trying to look pretty while eating like a caveman. My boyfriend who got the yakisoba preferred Japanese restaurants in Calgary as they apparently have better flavour for a cheaper price.
What really turned me off was the pricing of the food. Perhaps it was because its a downtown restaurant, but while the rolls were dead cheap, the sashimi was double the price than to what I get in Calgary.....not impressed. I my as well have bought a big slab of fish in a marketplace and eat it raw for the same price.
Overall not impressed with the restaurant where I would definitely not return should I ever visit Vancouver again. Based on this review, I think I'll stick to my local favourite in in Calgary for my sushi fix where the food is slightly cheaper but 10 times yummier than this place. Sorry Kamei Royale, you did not cut it for me. :( -
Review from Jennifer K.
Vancouver, BC
You'd think a staple like teriyaki chicken would be easy to make right? Well, who knows when it's swimmin' in sauce.
In fact, the teriyaki sauce bothered me so much (it was the last thing I ate), I'd forgotten about how everything else tasted in my bento box: the fresh sashimi, the CA rolls, the flaky tempura, and the surprisingly yummy agedashi tofu. For pic: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
This completely dumbfounded me. I mean, for an 'authentic' restaurant, where the Japanese servers were exceedingly polite (not that politeness had anything to do with it), I expected more from my chicken. Okay, so maybe I'm a little obsessed. Maybe I set the bar too high? After reading some of the reviews, I really should have just stuck to sashimi.
Note to self: If it comes with sauce, ask for it on the side. Especially if it has anything to do with chicken. -
Review from Ellie C.
Vancouver, BC
3/5/2012
I love the big glossy menu; makes ordering so much easier!
The lemon & pepper tuna tataki is an absolute winner. The tuna was perfect, total melt in your mouth goodness. Great zesty-peppery flavour & fresh tuna! What more can you ask for.
The rolls were just average for me and obviously overpriced for what you are getting. The volcano roll was decent, loved the extra crunch from the sprinkled deep fried bits.
I was a little underwhelmed like the majority of the people here. For the price I probably won't be back. Just didn't feel like it was worth it! -
Review from Miss S.
Vancouver, BC
5/22/2012
I don't know where to start. I LOVE this place. It's open quite late if the atmosphere is great, and I've never left this place earlier than 3. I'll have to admit, the second time I went, my friend and I had a little trouble with some drunk customers, but the bartender, our knight in shining armour, saved us. EVERY STAFF MEMBER SPORTS A SMILE! When was the last time you went to karaoke and you saw every staff member happy!? They have an excellent assortment of drinks. The plum wine is definitely my favourite. I haven't eaten much there, but the tempura I did try was great. I think in a drunken stupor I had deep fried ice cream here, and if I recall correctly, it was just delicious. I definitely recommend this place for great memories, as I've left each visit with many. LOVE YOU, KAMEI!!!
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Review from Jenifer S.
2/29/2012
I went here with my friends on a girls weekend in the city to get my sushi fix. We ordered a bottle of Pear Sake. Which was very nice. My one friend and I shared the Vancouver raw fish platter with one of my friends. It was out of this world good! It was like eating butter, super fresh. We also ordered one sushi roll which was spicy and good. I love the little tea rooms they have for seating. The servers were all very friendly.
All in all, when I'm back in Vancouver will be stopping in again. -
Review from yekta a.
2/12/2012
BEST sushi!
We started with appetizers: Enoki beef + Yakitori which are super small (meant for 1 person) but great just to get your appetite wet. Oh and not to mention super tasty!
Crunch & much roll + cherry blossom roll are what we ordered and they were so tasty and fresh.
We'll definitely go back as well as try their other locations. -
Review from Wendy Y.
2/16/2012
Sushi rolls are solid here.
I especially like their signature rolls with fancy names such as cherry blossom (salmon & avocado), and delicious roll (chopped scallops with mango), Samurai Power (crab, unagi, avocado) just to name a few. The sushi rolls are beautifully presented, freshly made, and nom nom delicious.
I've tried a variety of items here and I do find the teriyaki, rice don, udon in soup, fried food to be just average though.
In a nut shell I give this place 3.75/5.
Reservation is HIGHLY recommended as a lot of office people in Downtown come here for lunch/dinner.Listed in: Japanese Food
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Review from Sarah W.
4/13/2012
Good sashimi and very good rolls with great combinations. The decor is cool/retro.
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Review from Edward L.
Kamei Royale has been around for quite a long time. Decided to give it a try after
Free parking is available downstairs in the underground lot for 2h in the evenings with validation.
The interior is classic Japanese style. Feels like a classical Asian garden. Most of the staff here are authentic Japanese too. Don't see that too often anymore around here.
The waitress seemed friendly in my books, but my friends felt she was rude for some reason.
For beer they only have 2-3 types available in draught. Everything else is bottle form. 20oz glasses are $6.50. Not too bad.
As I was only here for a snack, I only tried a couple of items.
Uni nigiri - oh wow this was good. No fishy smell (common problem with other cheaper places). Quite fragrant actually. One of the better pieces I've head in recent memory. However, at $3.50 a piece, you'd sort of hope this was the case.
Beef and enoki roll - a bit too salty. The enoki kept the entire thing nice and springy in the mouth though. And it was served fresh as well.
The price tag is quite steep here, but if you don't mind it, the food is pretty decent. -
Review from Joyce P.
Vancouver, BC
11/1/2011
Came here with a bunch of coworkers for lunch and I think we all left pretty disgusted.
Usually the food is pretty decent, not wonderful but it's good enough and it's quick enough.
We were all a bit rushed for lunch as we had to go back for a class so we thought we'd all order the same thing, some noodle combo with udon, sushi and the WORST chicken teriyaki on the face of the earth.
YUCK! It was cold, gelatinous, and COLD and chewy and WTF were they thinking?
My of us decides to send his hard for another one and it still came out COLD, GELATINOUS AND CHEWY. The rest of us just chewed and left it.
The rest of the meal was ok, the sad part is that I'll probably be back again because of it's location and the fact you can drink here late at night. Sigh. -
Review from Herman E.
11/23/2011
3.5 stars.
I'm so bummed that Yoshi is no longer around. They had the best spicy tuna roll, and they set the bar for Japanese dining.
Came here for a late dinner when my cousins were in town from SF.
Food was pretty standard, and above average. Quality was above average for the raw sushi.
Katsu don was not pre-prepared and nuked like at Komi (bletch, yuck, Yuck, YUCK).
FYI a secret for you Yelpers, one of the waitresses is actually Chinese and works at Lucky Tao in Richmond. I recognized her and she recognized me. LOL.
I would be back, since it's close to my office, during the day! -
Review from Ellen L.
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Surprised with the lukewarm reviews. Sure it's more expensive than your Urban/Bay/or similar Sushi's, but you get what you pay for. I think Kamei Royale has character and beautiful food. The waitresses all smile so ridiculously widely that I can't help but smile back. The older Japanese lady who wears a kimono all the time adds to the restaurant's character. :)
The menu is filled with photographs of their beautiful food (and makes ordering for me as indecisive as heck!). Today for lunch, I had the BBQ Unagi Healthy Lovely Don ($10.95). You betcha it's healthy and lovely!! The brown sushi rice was fluffy and sticky, just how I like 'em. No iceberg lettuce in the salad - nod. The unagi sauce drizzled over the tofu was fantabulous, and so is the actual unagi. I can keep on going with the praises you know - this dish is 5 stars all by itself! Their rolls and sashimis are also very fresh and tasty, in past experience.
Dinners can get expensive. But such a gem for lunch Downtown. -
Review from Sasha R.
6/5/2011
I expected much more from this loudly lauded restaurant. I shoulda been tipped off by the signed photographs on the wall upon entering -- to me, this is always a sign that the place is more interested in fame than in food. the picture menu with pages of showy rolls also made me nervous.
that being said, the sashimi/nigiri was pretty fresh and reasonably priced given the portion size (we had to fill up with udon kaki, ordered later). but for a city located on the water, it's just average.
I have to mention that the sake menu is atrocious. I would advise ordering beer. -
Review from Larry L.
Kamei Royale Garden, then known as the Fugetsudo Cafe over ten years ago. Back then it was located on the other side of Kamei Royale. It was bigger and bolder and very very Japanese.
Then it was the hotspot for awesome Yoshokuya style japanese food and karaoke. Then it supported greatness and people came to dine and sing and drink. Then it became a bar for people to hang out at and then things had to change. Like in life things do change, evolve and age.
Now as the Kamei Royale Garden it has evolved. Old school Karaoke in a world of iphones and 3D TV's. The Japanese bubble economy of the late 80's and 90's is now come and gone. The recent events in Japan have added to that and there is a new and different business format.
No more Yoshokuya. more of the basic Kamei menu which is simple and easy and honestly not very good.
You're not really here to eat the food. You're here for the libations of song and drink and friends just hanging out and relaxing till the bar closes and you pay your bill and go home.
A couple of the old school regime from the Fugetsudo days will be found here. The clientele is more Chinese than Japanese now. The songs are the same. Then you'd hear every second song in Japanese. Now it's a mix of Chinese, English and Japanese songs in that order.
There's still those pretty girls that sing like angels and then there's those guys who think they sing like Elvis, but sound more like Beavis.
And then there's me singing Bohemian Rhapsody. Classic. And only because of H & V did I sing.
It's a unique place. Something you probably would find late at night in Hong Kong or certain business districts in Tokyo. It's different, a cultural adjustment if you are here for the first time.
And if you just want to hold hands with someone or have a romantic conversation and gaze into someones eyes.
You can do it here too. Just be forewarned. You might have to contend with off pitched drunken belching that some call singing, slightly flat beer and a memory you will never forget.
Hey, it is what it is. a Karaoke bar.
4 stars for the unique ambiance
2 stars for the food.
3 stars for the drink
and 5 stars for the company you bring.
Typo's written free of charge by I-phone -
Review from Jeff M.
9/3/2011
A friend (from out of town) and I came here when the place I hand intended to go to, turned out to be closed. We were dining early, so we had to wait until they opened at 5 PM on a Thursday.
The server reminded me of (okay, this is a bit of a stretch) a geisha. Very proper, providing the best possible service, not speaking in any way that might be considered improper or rude.
The food was good, but not spectacular. Portions were acceptable, not huge, and not too small. We ordered a couple of starters that came relatively quickly. Isn't it interesting how (seemingly) every Japanese Restaurant serves Edamame differently. Edamame at Kamei Royale was warm, wet, and salty...but no too salty. We ordered dumplings (acceptable though not fantastic) and tempura (very good). We chose an entree we could share that included a nice selection. Turned out to be a good choice for my friend who hadn't eaten a lot of sushi. The "boat" provided a nice and varied selection with some different things that she had not tried.
The cost of this restaurant, considering it's location (right across Burrard from The Fairmont) was quite good. Middle of the road, if you ask me. -
Review from Kris I.
10/23/2010
Dude, this place has been around foreverrr! My mom said it was here in the late 90s, but I don't remember. But if that's the case, kudos to this place for staying here and being successful for that long.
I think I had some sashimi salad thingy, and it was surprisingly tasty, filling, and relatively inexpensive. I'll be back whenever I'm in the area ;) -
Review from Ken T.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I work across the hall from Kamei and I eat here all the time. The truth is, I have had two star meals, three star meals, four star meals and five star meals here before.
Tonight my friend and I ordered the crispy ebi mayo dish, the tuna tacos and a tuna tatami dish with lots of garlic on it. Everything was delicious, especially the quality of the tuna. Kamei receives four stars tonight. -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
12/7/2010
I came here for a dinner with a friend and I left $40 poorer and still hungry. The dinner prices seem really high for me, especially since the portions and quality aren't really up to par. I ordered a sushi salad, and there were so few pieces of fish and so much mayo dressing, that I honestly couldn't see any of the sushi pieces until I poked around and shifted some leaves.
I then ordered two rolls, both at high prices, and was disappointed to see the small portion sizes. For less than that price, I could get similar-style rolls at Kadoya on Davie.
But then again, there was a huge party of Japanese teenagers beside us and they had an all-out izakaya feast going on, so maybe I just don't know how to order?
I also hear their late night and lunch menus are pretty decent, but I'm not sure if I'll be returning....Listed in: Sushi!
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Review from Justin L.
8/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Maybe I've got a soft spot for Kamei since I've been eating here for the last 2 decades...or maybe it's just because the sushi here is always fresh and blows away most California sushi places. Regardless of the reason, I will always love Kamei.
After a long hard day of shopping on Robson (tough work but someone's gotta do it), nothing hits the spot like a sushi & sashimi boat at Kamei. If you decide to go a la carte instead, their large variety of creative rolls & entrees will be sure to please as well.
For those who are on a budget or are just more of a night owl, definitely take advantage of their late night happy hour after 9:30 p.m. where several menu items are significantly discounted..very nize.Listed in: Oh Canada :)
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Review from Michelle B.
8/8/2008
It's the Japanese dining equivalent to America's Cheesecake Factory.
Sure, sure, the picture menu should have tipped us off, but it looked somewhat promising and the reviews I pulled up on my mobile phone were all very positive...and this is why Canada needs Yelp. The reviews I read were wrong. Wrong.
They should have said mediocre food, high prices, and a turn-the-table atmosphere. There, I said it.Listed in: A Seattlite lost in Vancouver
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Review from Nam N.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2011
I come here a lot because my friend works nearby. And I'm never disappointed in the food, there's a huge assortment. But I'm never wowed either. Its basic Japanese fanfare and I've gotten spoiled living in Vancouver. The best part though is its all done very well, fresh, neat and delicious.
I do love the oyster motoyaki and the fresh oysters here. The raw oysters are so fresh and chilled! And very well-priced. We do mostly late night menu here...and then go next door to karaoke...ahem.
Good place for lunches too, they have great deals on bento boxes, lots of choice, and large portions for a lunch price.
PRICE: Average.
SERVICE: Experienced, really packed and busy but they are still on the ball. Work, work, work.
SUGGEST: If you're in the area then its a good place to grab lunch. Generally we only come by in the evenings if we plan to hang out next door afterward or go somewhere nearby. We don't go out of our way to eat here. But if you park in their lot and eat here you get free parking :) -
Review from Kristen M.
8/7/2008
Sake! Sake! Sake! Beeeeeeeeeeer.
Some foods....
Sitting in a little room at a sunken table.
That's all I remember.Listed in: Van-coooo-ver, EH?
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Review from Jason D.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2011
I came here for lunch. It was packed! We only waited 5 minutes or less and settled for a seat at the sushi bar (it was very roomy btw). This restaurant is really quite large but very inviting.
I had to specially request Salmon Don as it is not on there menu. It was very tasty, but I was disappointed at the thinly sliced salmon pieces though. I thought there was way too much rice compared to the amount of salmon. Given the price of it was $18, I was a little disappointed...
The service was good, the employees all thanked me as I departed the restaurant. For a Sushi restaurant it was good but there are much better and cheaper to be found in Vancouver. It is pricey but a good place to go for lunch. -
Review from Steven M.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2010
Kamei Royale used to be a favorite restaurant of mine. I love the location and the interior of the restaurant. It affords maximum privacy.
However, I don't think that it is keeping up with the trend towards smaller, more authentic, and better priced / value food.
I paid $12 for essentially some non-fresh chicken, not the greatest sushi, and luke warm miso soup. A while ago this seemed to be the norm, but with so many new places opening up, Kamei Royale is going to have to button down to keep competitive. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
10/24/2010 15 Check-ins Here
I've visited this place twice recently for lunch and I was very happy with my meal. Both times I had a maki combo (an assortment of California, BC, salmon, tuna and cucumber rolls) served in a "boat" with gomae and miso soup. I asked them to substitute additional California or BC rolls in place of the dynamite roll, and they did that for me no problem.
They do offer brown rice sushi here too, but not in the combos.
In terms of the service, this place is packed at lunchtime so make a reservation if you're in a hurry and be prepared to work to catch a server's attention if you need something additional. But they are very fast considering how large and how busy the restaurant is, and the sushi is very fresh. It's also quite reasonably priced in my opinion for downtown. I will definitely come back when the opportunity presents itself, for a "business lunch" or otherwise. -
Review from nina n.
Vancouver, BC
4/6/2010
My friend and I are frequent regulars at this restaurant. Every time we enter, the smiling hostess and servers passing by greet us cheerily. Our water and tea are always promptly refilled. When my friend and I leave, we are given equally cheery farewells.
As for the food, it's decent. If you've never been to Kamei, I honestly don't recommend going there, given all the cheap sushi joints you have here. I've been a patron for about two years, and I have noticed that the portions get smaller and the prices increase. They also revamp their menu on occasion, and I find it somewhat disorganized. They've removed my favourite dish: Colossal Cheese Yakitori, which was basically chicken skewers on a bed of mashed potatoes, smothered in cheese. Try the Thunder Fries (yam tempura fries), which comes with an interesting deep-fried cheese roll and delicious dipping sauce.
The sushi itself is okay. I've had comparable take-away sushi from T&T and from the sushi place in the Royal Centre (just across from Kamei). The California roll is really bland, and I tend to use copious amounts of wasabi and soy sauce. It helps clear my sinuses, at least?
My favourite part of my meals there is dessert. I tend to order the Crème Brulée Cheesecake. It's neat because the server will caramelize the topping with a blow torch. I guess.
Overall, the great service almost compensates for the overpriced food. Almost. Out of sheer loyalty, I continue to frequent this place. -
Review from Evilyn T.
3/3/2010
Get on the boat, yea, the veggie boat, yea, the fun time, yum time veggie boat.... Not sure if anybody remembers the banana boat? Aaaaanyways....
It's close to my work, so I stopped in when my Dad came by to take me for lunch. We got seated right away and were given two cups of green tea. The food was pretty horrific, but the service was actually pretty decent, and because I ordered the veggie boat, the presentation was nice. Perhaps I should have just taken a longer walk and tried someplace else, but when you only have an hour lunchbreak and everywhere in the area is packed, you kinda take what you can get. I am open to taking recommendations on sushi places in this area!
The gomae tasted like it was cut from a block of frozen spinach, and even though the menu said it had their homemade "sesame sauce" when I tasted it, there was definitely peanut butter in it, or peanut sauce of some kind. I will commend the waiter on letting me know that the miso soup had a beef broth in it, which was fine, I am not a vege-terrorist. But where is the miso then, in my miso soup? The rolls were average, and the agedashi-tofu was gross, it was over-battered and overcooked, which made it crunchy, eewww.
Since I was with Daddy-o, I didn't have to pay, so I can't really comment on that, he cracked out the plastic and it was taken care of pretty quickly. I don't think I would come back, I think I'd rather take my chances at food court sushi, which is a pretty frightening thought. Note to self: read Yelp reviews before going for lunch. -
Review from Michael L.
1/23/2009
Food was ok, but the wait time was unacceptable... First we wait 15 mins at the door, then we wait another 30 mins after sitting on the table. Food portion is pretty big depending on selection. Priced at around $15-$20 Canadian an item.
We went here because a friend in Vancouver suggested to visit this restaurant in the Downtown area. -
Review from Katie F.
4/27/2009
Came here when a friend was in town visiting and he was staying at the Fairmont... he was craving sushi and the concierge recommended the Kamei Royale for good quality sushi and got us a table.
That concierge has apparently not eaten at many of the other places in town if he calls this good!
The sushi here is average with a fairly "westernized" sushi menu. It was a Sat night but service was slow as heck. We were able to get a quiet table but the sushi wasn't memorable... prices were average to slightly above average. Unfortunately I think it's the closest one to the most of the major downtown hotels, but I strongly recommend taking a cab elsewhere if you're looking for one of the better places in town - love the Cheesecake factory analogy! -
Review from Bradley C.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2009
We went to Kamei Royale at 9:30pm on the dot, because their Late Night menu kicks in at that time. For the month of August, all the food on that menu is 1/2 price! Plus, we had a coupon for free wings with a pitcher of beer. Who could turn down that kind of offer?
I made a reservation, so we were seated instantly. The servers were all smiles, and when I whipped out my rusty Japanese, I got even bigger grins (ironic ones, perhaps?).
The food, while nothing spectacular, was more than adequate, and I really felt like I had been transported to an izakaya back in Japan. Overall, service was prompt and friendly, food was hot, beer was cold, and I was happy. Also, the price was right.
I will return! Yay for Kamei Royale!! -
Review from Ainsley D.
6/25/2011
I expected this place to be sub-par considering the mediocre-to-paltry amount of stars it had. Consider me pleasantly surprised. The service was incredibly attentive, the sockeye salmon sashimi and assorted appetizers and sushi I had were delicious, and I found the ambiance to be perfectly pleasant. The price was right, too. If I lived anywhere near Vancouver, I'd be here all the time.
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Review from Eric W.
3/14/2010
We went here during the Olympics and had to sit at the small bar which was odd but we were hungry and tables were at a minimum.
What annoyed me was they went to seat us and asked if the bar was ok to which I replied it was given that there were no tables. Then, they sat the couple behind us immediately at a nearby table which was also open. I guess being easygoing was a bad trait at that point but they pulled a fast one on me.
It feels like a family restaurant with a high-end effort. We heard about this place from the concierge at the nearby Hyatt. Having visited Vancouver a lot, I'd probably try to find something else but maybe he likes it more than most or he gets benefits from recommending it. We were hungry and it was nearby.
We ordered a variety of sushi and it was inexpensively priced for what we expect in sushi but the food was nothing spectacular. I'm looking at the receipt here and it was just under $50 for three rolls, tempura and one large beer -- that's pretty good. The service was good but felt a little rushed, perhaps because there was a wait and people were leaving because of it.
I'd probably try somewhere else farther away or up Robson next time. I was on the verge of giving it 3 stars but the rush and seating situation makes it two. -
Review from Diana M.
7/28/2009
Came here after a long day of drinks and sightseeing hoping to get a decent meal. It was just "ok". I had some sort of skewered meat combo (Robata assorted?) that was tough and seemed reheated. My boyfriend had the yakisoba that he said was good, but it was too sweet for my liking. The asparagas gyoza was excellent!
Service was very good (hence the third star), but other than that it was just an okay experience. -
Review from Greg S.
Fonthill, ON
1/6/2010
A gang wanted to try this place out after church the other Sunday. I will say that the food is slightly better than the kind of "Mom & Pop" sushi place where I usually hang out. Also, there was plenty of room for a large group. And, at least on Sunday afternoon, the place was nice and quiet, so we could hear each other. The waitress wearing a kimono and those wooden-soled sandals was a nice touch.
But the prices? They have got to be kidding. The food is "slightly" better than the Mom and Pop places, but the prices are nearly three times as high. If I ever go back here again, it had better be on someone else's nickel. -
Review from Adam G.
Edmonton, AB
6/9/2010
Late-night menus FTW. Kamei Royale on Burrard slashes its food prices after 9:30pm -- provided you buy a drink (or, in our case, 4). That's how they get you, see.
Of especial note was the deep-fried Chikuwa cheese -- though the yam tempura sushi was quite good as well.
On the whole, a great meal at an authentic Japanese restaurant that actually cares about the dining *experience* -- and a great start to our Year of Eating (out) Regularly. -
Review from Kenneth L.
Vancouver, BC
11/2/2010
Really, don't come here if you're hungry unless your wallet feels too heavy. Quite expensive relative to the other Japanese options that are available in downtown, likely at most 10-15 minutes away, and the portions are relatively quite small. However, the food is generally pretty good, and the raw oysters tasted fresh and not too fishy with replete with a myriad of dipping sauce choices. There is a nice ambiance to the place as well and live karaoke to pleasure the senses.
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Review from A E.
8/30/2008
I could not believe we endured a 30-minute wait at lunch for an overpriced JFF (see my other reviews and a JFF list for definition). Thank goodness I was on an expense account.
Yelp - where were you when I needed you?
The only fruitful thing out of that wait was the purchase of Kerastase Bain Mirroir from the nearby salon. I did forget to bring my shampoo on the trip!Listed in: Vancouver on an expense…
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Review from James W.
Vancouver, BC
8/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
I just want to chime in to say the food here is excellent and--aside from the creative rolls found at North American sushi places but seldom in Japan--very authentic. Those who say their food was no good either had a very unlucky experience or have eaten supermarket or food court sushi so much they don't know what it's supposed to taste like. I lived in Japan for 12 years and say that this is the real deal.
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Review from Josie V.
10/25/2010
I love this place because it had such at great menu. My boyfriend and I were in Vancouver for a tennis tournament and decided to stay an extra day. We were so tired from playing tennis and were so hungry for sushi. So we asked a nice lady at the hotel we were staying at where would be a great place for sushi within walking distance of the hotel. She pointed us here and we were glad she did! I have to say I don't care too much for salmon, but had it in my order of Chirashi...and it was more than amazing! On another trip back we tried to go back for lunch on a Sunday and they were closed. We would have waited but we needed to catch a ferry later that afternoon. Oh well!
