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Nami Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Seafood Japanese, Seafood [Edit]
55 Adelaide St EToronto, ON M5C 1K6
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 362-7373
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
33 reviews for Nami Restaurant
Review Highlights
"the sushi spring roll was super awesome number 1."
(in 4 reviews)
"If you do try the black sesame ice cream."
(in 3 reviews)
"...fish), agedeshu tofu, beef sashimi, California hand rolls..."
(in 4 reviews)
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33 reviews in English
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Review from Julia B.
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was one of the better sushi places we went to while visiting Toronto. I'm still no sushi connoisseur and I won't be for quite some time, but I do know that the sushi spring roll was one of the BEST rolls I have had, ever.
The rolls were topped with salmon, tuna, and avocado. I think the salmon and avocado topped ones were my favorite. Seriously, now my mouth is watering just thinking of the sushi spring roll. It was *that* good.
I know that if I ever find this type of roll at another sushi restaurant, I'll probably go crazy and order 20 of them. Most likely, though, it won't be as good as at Nami!
Also, one of the times we stopped by here we had the green tea crème brûlée. It was super creamy and very tasty. I'd definitely recommend that one as well! -
Review from Alexandra F.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2011
After reading all of the wonderful reviews on Yelp, I thought Nami was going to be a good experience - boy, was I ever disappointed!
While I appreciate the "traditional" Japanese ambiance, this place was simply run-down and uninspiring.
The service was slow and they got my order wrong, even though we talked about it in some detail as I made a few changes, given my allergies.
The food was overpriced. The miso soup was tasteless, the shashimi was not fresh or tender, and the teriyaki beef was nothing to write home about.
Hands down, Nami is one of the worst Japanse restaurants I have been to, since arriving in Toronto. -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
5/31/2011
My friends and I were contemplating between Terroni and Nami (the restaurant with the black exterior, next to Terroni). We decided to go for Japanese and ended up at Nami, which I kinda regret.
After reading over the menu, we decided to order a bunch of items for the four of us to share. We started with the Kaiso salad - Three different kinds of seaweed, served with crab leg, thinly sliced cucumber and house dressing ($8.95). This isn't the typical seaweed salad you get at most other Japanese restaurants. It came with 3 different kinds of seaweed and really lacked flavour (even with the house dressing). I much prefer the regular seaweed salad over this. The crab leg also didn't really add much to the dish.
The next dish we ordered was the Beef sashimi - New York Strip (US Black Angus) seared to perfection, then sliced paper thin. Served with ponzu sauce and ground radish ($10.50). When it came, I didn't think it looked very appetizing...nor did the taste really change my mind. It tasted okay with the ponzu sauce, but overall just an okay dish.
We also ordered the Nasudengaku - Deep fried eggplant topped with chef's own sweet miso sauce ($8.95). Finally, a dish I really enjoyed! The skin was crispy on the outside and the sweet miso sauce was amazing. However, at 9 bucks, it was a little steep for two pieces of eggplant.
Since we also wanted to try a roll, we decided on the Spider roll - Deep fried soft shell crab with avocado, mayonnaise, cucumber and flying fish roe ($17), which came with 8 pieces. It was pretty tasty, but I found it to be a bit overpriced.
Since one of my friends wanted to try one of the hot pots, we ordered the Sukiyaki hot pot - Thinly sliced US Black Angus cooked in a sweet soy sauce based soup with hakusai cabbage, green onions, spinach, shiitake and enoki mushrooms, tofu and udon noodles. Served with raw egg for dipping. The price of this is $33 per person (with a minimum order of two people, and orders have to be taken before 10:15pm). Since we had ordered several other dishes, we requested two servings ($66). It was my first time trying sukiyaki, and I really enjoyed it! The sweet soy sauce was nice and gave the food a great flavour. However, for $66, we didn't get very much food, and again felt it was overpriced.
Overall, I wasn't very impressed. I felt for the most part, the food was overpriced. For those prices, I expected much better.Listed in: Once was enough....
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Review from Charlotte W.
North York, ON
4/11/2011
If only Nami wasn't downtown - that's the only complaint I have.
Intro. My parents and I have been going to Nami for a very, very long time. We are pretty adventurous when it comes to food and will always try new and different restaurants, but somehow, we go to Nami time and time again. The restaurant can get pretty busy so we always ask to sit at the booth...we cannot imagine sitting in the middle area so close to your neighbours that you can hear their conversation more than yours.
The only booth we don't like is the one that is shared, usually for two people, but it still is a booth.
Food. What can I say but yummy! My favorite dishes are the karioge (fried white fish), agedeshu tofu, beef sashimi, California hand rolls, and a selection of sashimi including tako, toro, maguro, and mirugai - and that's just appetizers. Then for main course it really depends on my mood but I love the grilled fish dishes such as gindara or salmon collar (hamachi). The beef terriyaki is not bad either.
Me and my amour have tried the shabu shabu which is a fun way to enjoy a variety of foods cooked in a pot in front of you (includes vegetables, rice and noodles). The dinner ends with black sesame seed ice cream, which although tastes soo good, does stain your teeth and tongue black (FYI, not a good first date dessert).
Ambiance. Great. I go to Nami for the food not the decor so as long as I have my booth I know I am good.
All in all, you can count on the quality and freshness of the dishes which is very important considering we are dealing with raw foods. I have never been to Japan so I cannot comment on how authentic the food is, but it has never let my parents and I down. -
Review from Coy W.
6/2/2011
Living in Ottawa for a few years and only having access to the Ottawa sushi scene, I felt like sushi was something I had not eaten in years.
Nami has always been one of my favourite places in TO. It's more expensive than most places but it's also really good. I've been here a handful of times and the food is always delicious and always fresh. Price aside, it has good food.
This meal we had miso soup, beef sashimi, tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi and various sushi and rolls.
The things I remember most about the meal was how much I liked the beef sashimi, how fresh the fish was and how nice our server was. The salmon was good but the tuna was fantastic!
I'll make sure I don't wait another year or more to drop in next time. -
Review from Robin D.
4/14/2011
I like! Outside looks like a ka-ra-o-ke bang to me, but inside is nice. More importantly, the service is very good and from my first visit, food fulfilling.
Got the Robata Set B. So good, salmon neck for fish recommended by the waitress who I was shocked to find smiled very brightly, probably thinking about the fish. Noted the waitresses seem generally very happy here, which I feel rubs off on you.
I will definitely come back, and try some other fish! -
Review from Huntting B.
5/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing o-toro. the sushi spring roll was super awesome number 1. the miso soup was lack luster, skip it.
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Review from Ryan W.
9/25/2010
This is your typical old-school Japanese restaurant complete with the little curtains at the entrances to their booths and a smaller downtown location. They have a fish tank when you walk in the door, but it wasn't really doing it for me on the night of our visit. It looked like it needed a good cleaning on the inside of the tank because it was quite murky.
However, I don't judge sushi bars/Japanese restaurants by the cleanliness of their fish tanks, and there is a good reason for that. The food was excellent!
Since we were entertaining a business associate, we all shared a number of dishes. We had the mixed mushrooms (not my personal favorite but very well prepared), hamachi kama, maguro sashimi, black cod, nabeyaki, and a few other items. Everything was very good, and nothing was left behind.
At the end of the meal, I was very pleasantly surprised that a dinner for three was affordable. I thought the price was fair for a large meal, including alcohol. The best/most important part is that my associate thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and still comments on how he wishes us to return on our next trip to Toronto. -
Review from Amy L.
4/12/2011
I shall start off by saying that I love, and I DO mean love, Nami. They're right at the very top of my list for sushi restaurants. I'm not talking about teppanyaki, omakase, or izakaya here, but the simple yet elegant, sushi. Okay, so why am I all over Nami like a child who's all over candy and ice cream? Well, read on and the mystery shall be revealed unto you :D
Nami is located at Adelaide & Church, right beside Terroni. The outside is entirely black and I actually walked passed it when I was looking for it. So to find Nami, just look for Terroni. Once you enter the restaurant, you'll be greeted by a tall, handsome gentleman who'll politely welcome you with a gentle Irrashaimase. To your right would be a teppanyaki section followed by a sushi bar. To your left are intimate booths and the remaining seating area is filled with square tables for groups. The lights are dim, candles are lit, and your plate is occupied with a neatly folded white napkin that resembles a fan. Alright, time to explore their delectable menu and discover what kind of paradise awaits you. I started my dinner off with Uni (sea urchin) sushi ($8.50). Yes, deadly expensive yet dangerously addictive. They were so fresh and sweet; a genuine Je ne sais quoi. This is the real deal; a must-order. Well, unless the appearance and texture of it freaks you out, then just stick with other sushi that you're more comfortable with :) .
My friend only ordered a Spicy Tuna roll because we already ate prior and I, uh, kind of dragged her here with me :D I ordered Chirashi Sushi ($25.50) which is an assortment of fresh sashimi served on a bed of sushi rice. It came with two pieces of each: salmon, tuna, snapper, mackerel, surf clam, salmon roe, shrimp, octopus, crab cake, and fried egg. There's absolutely nothing stopping this Chirashi from scoring a perfect 10. Needless to say, their sashimi was the definition of fresh and tasty. The rice was cooked to the right texture with the right amount of vinegar. Even though Mi-ne also serves incredible sushi, their rice was a bit on the soggy side. Nami just knows how to do it right. When the waitress brought the Chirashi to my table, I felt like I was receiving a present. It really does look like a piece of art; the sushi chef was so gentle and meticulous in assembling it together. It even tasted better than several of the Chirashi Don I've had in Japan! :O
I wanted their Green Tea Creme Brulee as it was one of the main reasons why I came for dinner. Unfortunately it was sold out during lunch time so I settled for the Green Tea Cheesecake ($8) instead. We also ordered Black Sesame ice cream ($4). The cheesecake was dense and packed with a strong taste of matcha. It almost seemed like I was drinking matcha tea but in the solid form. I've never had such authentic green tea cheesecake before; this one throws the rest out of the league. There really is no competition here. As for the black sesame ice cream, it's not the creamy, diluted kind where you can get at the supermarket. This is actually grainy and it doesn't melt! It's a never-melting ice cream! Spectacular.
My overall opinion? There is no question about it; I'll come back for their sushi and desserts again, and many times more. Not only is their food fantastic, but the service is also outstanding. They actually sang Happy Birthday to me (thanks to my friend for secretly notifying them). You should've seen my face; I was astounded! So, if I've done my job right, I should've convinced you by now that you have to give Nami a try. When you do, don't forget to thank me ;)Listed in: Japanese Restaurants, Five Star places
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Review from Raymond W.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2011
You ever watch those movies where the yuppie takes the dumb blonde to a ultra expensive sushi restaurant, and it's followed immediately with the sex scene? Well, this is that restaurant.
Except, in this case..I was the dumb blonde.
The staff here are Japanese, which means the food is authentic, and the directions they give you over the phone is..umm, you get the idea.
I came here for a very light dinner prior to heading to the Opera, and I only ended up here because my Bay Street friend recommended the place.
I was immediately greeted by a Samurai statue by the front door, which is very cool, but a little bit creepy, and perhaps not necessary. The waitresses here all spoke Japanese, and wore fake kimonos, which was sightly entertaining. The entire restaurant greets you including chefs greets you as you take your seat.
I immediately noticed the outdated furniture. It wasn't like traditional outdated, but just old. The lighting was perfect though, as it somehow really made the experience of the dining experience more engaging. I left the ordering to my friend, as she had been here before, and the pictures on the menu was not extensive.
They have booths for groups of four, and two elevated section where you dine the Japanese way, with no chairs. It looked very uncomfortable.
However, my interest was actually toward the patrons. This literally felt like the foreplayground of Bay Street. As I looked around, it seemed sex was on everyone's agenda. Pairs of the opposite sex that you just KNEW wasn't a couple.
Anyway, the food came. I had no idea what I ate, but it was bloody good. The more authentic and unrecognisable the food got, the more delicious it was. I really enjoyed the mushroom dish. I thought it was a very light but satisfactory dinner, my friend thought it was heavy. Well, she was a third my size..
My friend offered to pay the bill, but did it in a way where I knew I couldn't convince her otherwise. So for the first time in my life, I didn't argue to foot the bill..and she's a girl. I guess I got a reverence for Bay Street. It was expensive, worth the money, but only if you're getting laid afterwards.
Nami has more than enough funds to renovate the space, and the owner should really consider updating a few details. Like keeping the entrance to the kitchen less conspicuous, or invest in a wine cellar, instead of keeping the dozen bottles of Yellowtail in a glass door fridge by the entrance like it were some kind of convenience store.
Food alone, perhaps the best Japanese Restaurant experience I've had in Canada so far, honestly. I think I ate some kind of brains, but I love brains, so it's all good.
And tone down the AC, I spent a good portion of the night trying to keep that sheet of paper from blowing off of my table. You know, that sheet of paper you get in some restaurants? Yeah, this place had many characteristics of a cheap place, but it just isn't. This is very annoying.
"May I take that plate?"
"No please don't, I need it as a paper weight!"Listed in: Full meals over $100
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Review from Cindy C.
North York, ON
6/12/2011
I have been here many times and absolutely love this restaurant. Ambiance is great, service is fantastic, and food is amazing. Try the black cod, and sushi spring roll. Seafood salad is refreshing. Sushi pizza is to die for. I just discovered that Nami originated the sushi pizza which is why it's the best in Toronto.
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Review from Denny M.
Maple, ON
9/13/2010
One of my clients referred this restaurant to me & I thought I'd give it a shot. Apparently, it was her go-to place for her business luncheons.
As soon as I walked in, I noticed the waitress in authentic Japanese clothing. I knew that the prices weren't going to be cheap. I was suprised that the prices weren't that high..The services were quite good & so was the food.
I'm always a fan of miso soup. I ordered the lunch special which is the Salmon Terriyaki. I really enjoyed the taste. The vegetable & shrimp tempura were pretty good too.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant for you to visit. If you're in the mood for an authentic Japanese experience, Nami is your restaurant. -
Review from B K.
7/21/2011
I'm a vegetarian, so I hope other folks like myself will take note...
while the selection for vegetarians is not wide ranging (if, like me, you avoid things like fish broth as much as possible) but is more than adequate and tasty.
First, my waiter did not fully speak English or get what I was saying, but he understood enough to go and ask the kitchen several questions on my behalf, which is always greatly appreciated.
To start I had the edamame and pickles, both of which tasted great, were fine portions and came very quickly. I also had a green salad that wasn't much to talk about, I'd say it was a step below the simple green salads you might find in any sushi place.
I had the "veggie" roll which is cucumber and avocado - it was quite tasty and nicely sized - 6 pices, lots of 'cado. The soy sauce, ginger and wasabi were nothing spectacular but not bad by any means.
I topped off this gargantuan meal with the mixed mushrooms from the grill with the "BBQ Rice Ball." Both were kind of bland and I would have enjoyed more butter on the mushrooms. Using their house sesame sauce helped the taste but for such a large portion, more flavor would have been great.
All in all, I rather enjoyed the meal. I would probably get more sushi next time, but was pleased. -
Review from G K.
Mississauga, ON
12/14/2010
A very special restaurant for personal reasons, bias aside, this Japanese restaurant has extremely fresh fish!
We routinely make the trek to Nami for some tasty sashimi. The yellowfin was especially good.
The chirashi was excellent as well with a variety of fresh fish and pretty decent rice.
There are excellent, private booths that are available, I highly recommend these for special occasions (they can seat 4 comfortably).
Costs are more expensive than you would find at New Generation or Sushi on Bloor but it is reflected in the quality of the fish.
Highly recommended! -
Review from Rosie S.
7/29/2009
LOVE THIS PLACE!
This is one of my Dad's favourite sushi places in the city, so it's one of the retaurants we go to most often.
It's high-end sushi, as far as Toronto is concerned.
The service is FAB, the atmosphere/design is upscale, chic, very cool but still authentic feeling, and the chefs are INCREDIBLE. You will find some of the freshest ingredients in the city here.
So: to clarify the scope of this review, I am a vegetarian (sometimes I do eat shellfish though... this is a result of a summer spent in PEI in 2008). The only non-veg thing I have tried here is the California Rolls, and that hardly counts!
Nasudengaku - deep-fried eggplant with miso sauce
Ohitashi - boiled spinach with sesame sauce
Edamame - done RIGHT here!
Sansai Udon - soy-based bonito broth with mountain vegetables
Kappa Maki - cucumber
Natto Maki - fermented soy bean
California Roll - avocado, cucumber, flying fish roe & crab cake
Vegetable Maki - avocado & cucumber
And at the robata, my favourites are:
Mixed mushroom - grilled or steamed with butter & sake
Satsuma Ino - yam/sweet potato
Nasu - eggplant
NOTE!!! As tradition dictates, the wasabi is rolled WITH the maki when the chef prepares them. If you are sensitive to or dislike wasabi, be SURE to alert your server or ask to have it left out completely so you can flavour to your own taste! -
Review from Jessica P.
7/3/2011
Came here because I had a mad craving for sukiyaki. Ordered 3 portions for 4 people to eat. The food portions were more than enough for us. The waitresses were dressed up in kimonos and extremely attentive. Ice cream was served at the end of the meal. My brother had a very unique tasting vanilla ice cream, which was the best flavor of all. Will be coming back if I'm in town again to try their other dishes.
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Review from Jay Y.
North York, ON
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is one of the oldest and well known Japanese restaurants in Toronto. They have a great ambience with all the waitresses in Kimono's. The food is always fresh and tastes amazing. I would recommend you oder the grilled black cod (this is the only restaurant in Toronto with a BBQ grill Robata), and I would suggest you try the sushi spring roll. Also their tempura is the best in the city bar none. I was told that Nami was the originator of the Sushi Pizza. I have tried many sushi pizzas in Toronto, but Nami definitely tastes the best. Some of my friends say that this place is EXPENSIVE! But it really isnt compared with other restaurants out there with this quality. Sure there are places that are cheaper, but why cheap out for a place that is 10 bucks less, splurge a little and you wont be disappointed.
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Review from Joan L.
Mississauga, ON
5/26/2010 5 photos
Nami is the go-to place for my business Japanese lunches. This time around, we were seated in front of the grilling station which made the meal slightly more entertaining (tho I liked the booths more). I ordered
a) Chirashi - it was fresh but I could not stand the minced ginger in my rice. BLOODY HELL - I HATE GINGER. I was picking at my rice and making a mess of it all. The fish was fresh but that was about it. I prefer both the seasoning of the egg and rice at Japango more (where the lunch Chirashi is also about 5$ cheaper). I think the fish at Japango was more varied as well but I did not take a pic (stupid me).
b) Green Tea Cheesecake - I don't know. The last time I was here, the cheesecake was creamy and fresh. This time around, it tasted stale and crusty. I could barely finish it. The red bean filling was also meh.
Overall, the ambience was good. The service was impeccable. If you have an expense account, by all means - go here. I am sure I will return (the bosses like it) so I hope my next round isn't as bad. I will keep y'all posted. Side note: I do recall eating the rolls here and liking it. -
Review from Erwin M.
4/15/2010
Upon entering the restaurant, it just had expensive written all over it. Luckily, the company was paying and the guy who was ordering for us was Japanese so he sure knew what to order.
I give this place 4 stars because it was here that I had my first taste of toro which basically ruined all other sushi for me. At around 10 bucks per piece there was no way I'd be paying from own pocket but damn, even if i did, it would have been worth it. If I ever visit japan again i'll make sure to save up for an order of premium toro.
I have come here several times after just for sushi and its safe to say it really is a quality sushi restaurant, though I find the pieces to be a bit small. Only lunch for me too coz the prices practically double in the evening. -
Review from andrew a.
11/2/2010
Well, starting this review off as I would with ANY Sushi review, namely based on the actual quality of the sushi(meaning FISH), not the rice, or the tempura, or the soup (idiots). Although the miso was fine and the black cod was delicious, I am here to talk about the sushi (or in my case the sashimi, as i no longer eat carbs).
Sidenote: I used to come here every weekend with my parents, probably from the age of 7-13, it wasnt until i turned 11 that i tried sushi, and its been a love affair ever since. On to the review, Nami hasnt changed since the last time I visited 12 years ago, honestly. But with that said, it still remains a traditional, get to the point japanese place, its not super flashy, but sushi resto's arent supposed to be. Service wasnt fantastic, but then again most old-school resto's in toronto arent used to young guys in jeans ordering alot (as this young guy in jeans does). SO with that said, I tasted a good variety of their sashimi last night, let me start off by saying that the hamachi might be the best ive had in a long long time, maybe even better then katsura's. Fluke was superb, salmon was salmon (very fresh at that), and I tried a offspring of the hamachi called bamachi, or something like that, which was also good. but wow was that hamachi ever delicious. Summary: if you like sushi/sashimi, this is definitely one of the best places in Toronto to do so. If you like dynamite rolls, well your just not worthy -
Review from Sylvain P.
Newmarket, ON
11/7/2010
Apparently, and I can confirm, the poor attitude from the business next door has spilled over. Don't get me wrong, I love the whole Japanese attire the waitresses wear but what they should be sporting is a smile. Is that too much to ask. Really? The food's ok but the presentation is horrible and the prices are outrageous. I work across the street and this place isn't going to be my go to restaurant.
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Review from LatinKimchi T.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2010
If you are looking for a good place to try various Japanese dishes that are not too westernized or improperly prepared Nami is THE place to go...
Nami offers good ambiance with western style seating for the rookies or the contemporary version of the Japanese seating on the floor with the cheat hole underneath for a comfy tour du Japon....
But what is most notable in this Korean owned but Japanese staff'ed pearl is that it offers quite a fresh variety of Japanese originals such as :
TRADITIONAL and exquisitely fresh sushi and sashimi ferried by their famous love boats....
Moist and perfectly grilled assortment of seafood (more on this)
THE BEST nabe yake featuring too many to count seafood types in this soul comforting broth with udon noodles
AND FOR the more adventurous the Dish of the Day featuring a rotation of Japanese originals.....
The best time to visit this place is lunch because they offer the Robata Special... Robata Special literally translates to food found in carts near Train Stations in Japan... This consists of a seafood (choose from the iced display showcasing fresh red snapper, mackerel, tuna, salmon, squid, etc) that is grilled to a perfection keeping the meat moist... This comes with a miso dressing salad, miso soup, rice, and undoubtedly the best udon in T.O......All for less than $20 And if you still have space left... you can venture yourself in green tea ice cream or black sesame seed ice cream..... If you do try the black sesame ice cream.... Make sure you stick your tongue out to your friends.... :-P
Of course the Robata special is available at dinner as well but at a premium price....
Their selection of hot pots is great and their Beef Amiyaki cubed and cooked on the table are not only delicious but quite a fun experience...
If you'd like to try quality Japanese food but can't make yourself to seat for a 16 hr flight... drive down to Nami... -
Review from Gunnar V.
Toronto, ON
2/24/2011
First let me qualify what my sushi standards are. I've eaten at about 50 restaurants in Japan, from subways to the best at Tsukiji. I wanted to try Nami because it is established, has quite a lot of good reviews, and I'm not yet familiar with many Toronto Japanese restaurants.
The short review. Don't go to Nami.
While on the surface it has many Japanese touches, these don't run very deep. The cheap wooden chopsticks and lack of oshibori should be a dead give away that this is not really a premium restaurant and all the little customs are missing from the service staff.
We ordered a very standard meal, tsukemono, seaweed salad, miso, nasu dengaku (which they were out of), as well as beef sashimi and the chef's sushi selection (15 pieces).
First, the tsukemono tasted like it was out of a can, like it was old. it had none of the usual light, fresh vinegary taste. It was rubbery and disgusting. The seaweed salad was okay, but the miso dressing tasted and looked like soy sauce mixed with oil. It was quite unflavourful and had a weird texture.
The miso soup was obviously missing the proper ratio of dashi and tasted thin and flavourless.
The beef sashimi was okay, although again, flavourless and somehow too dry for raw meat.
The sushi, (which is the really important part to me) was in part better than the appetizers, with the salmon, tuna, hamachi and other common fishes being okay - 7/10 for Canada standards. However the "difficult" fishes such as octopus and ika were nearly inedible. One fish, which I couldn't even identify, was so bad, as soon as I put it in my mouth I knew that it was off and I should have spit it out. For this kind of price I regret not making a fuss with the staff.
Long story short, this meal cost more than any sushi meal I've had in Toronto and could easily be surpassed by a good train station meal in Tokyo for 1/3rd the price. This is really a disappointing effort considering how they bill themselves. The chefs should be ashamed. -
Review from Jakub W.
ON
3/6/2010
Went with a party of four, so many reviews.
Good: The fish (not sushi) aka the Robata menu was good.
Shrimp tempura was very good (note below veg tempura below)
Good miso soup.
Tasty sauce in house salad.
Bad: Presentation of roll was poor.
Both teriyakis ordered were definitely sub-par
Vegetable tempura was definitely not up to par.
Service was slightly disappointing and not very attentive (tea refill was difficult)
The squid was under-done.
Need a party of at least 8 for the tatami mats.
Overall, we expected much more. We've been to Japan, and some of us even lived there. With all the positive reviews, we thought this would be our new go-to place; alas, we won't return. They deserve 1.5 stars, but will round to 2 in kindness. -
Review from mike f.
Toronto, ON
2/20/2011
Not so good. The waiter didn't remember to bring two items to the table, and when asked, pointed to the wrong food on the table. She had very little understanding of what we were saying, and what the menu items were. When the bill came, she hadn't removed the items. Not the kind of experience I would expect from a $$$ restaurant.
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Review from Angel Z.
Toronto, ON
3/17/2010
Excellent traditional Japanese food, especially a la carte sashimi which arrives fresh every Thursday from shipment.
This is the only sushi restaurant I can am willing to eat at in Toronto after spending time at Tsukiji fish market and environs restaurants in Tokyo a few years ago.
The robata grill also serves up delicious grilled fish, with simple seasoning sometimes consisting of just sea salt. The flavor is that of the fish itself and it is masterfully drawn out.
There are small booth rooms along one wall and a large tatami dining room with traditional wall hanging art for larger groups. The best place for a large party of sushi connoisseurs. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2008
I'd have to say Nami is the sexiest sushi joint in the city.
It's super exciting and slick as far as sushi spots go.
And it's great for groups. There's two bars and waiter service.
This is definitely the kind of place that you take fancy clients to impress them. It's not cheap that's for sure, and they do put mayo on a lot of stuff which is always my meter of how authentic a sushi place is. The more mayo, the less Japanese.
But like I said, you go here for the character, not the cut of fish. -
Review from C L.
8/7/2008
Some of the best Sushi I've had has been on business trips. Nami was no exception. The food was incredible, and the environment was warm and inviting. They have traditional secluded booths for privacy, and the service was attentive. If I venture back to Toronto, I'm definitely coming back to this place!
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Review from Diana C.
Burlington, ON
8/6/2009
The sushi bar at Nami isn't the greatest, I have had better. When it comes to Japanese, I am very critical. The way I test a sushi bar is by ordering Uni Sushi and Ikura Sushi, and let me tell you, the Uni was NOT fresh!! I was seriously disappointed by it and the Ikura wasn't that great either. But I have to say that their freshly grilled fish and seafood was very impressive. If you sit at the bar, the chefs will grill it right in front of you as you order. If it wasn't for the fresh grill bar, I would have given this place a 2 star. The next time I'm there, I will stay clear of the sushi and order from their fresh grill menu.
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Review from Jay Y.
North York, ON
8/24/2009
Did you know that Nami is the originators of Sushi Pizza? Anyways, one of my favorite japanese restaurants of all times. Try the sushi spring rolls, or the nami rolls. Also if you get a chance, you should try the grilled black cod. Its so tasty. The tempura there is the best I have ever tried.
Great date spot, especially if you can score a private booth, but make sure you call in for a reservation as they tend to always be taken... -
Review from Steve M.
2/16/2010
I love it here. Let me provide some context. I regularly travel to Tokyo and I have had wonderful sushi and have eaten in tons of restaurants in Japan. The challenge for a Japanese restaurant in Toronto is not a challenge of authenticity. The challenge is that so few customers actually are interested in authentic Japanese food. Instead they are are more interested in the tasty western fusions, such as rolls, and the like. I'm not saying their taste is wrong and it is hard to condemn a restaurant for serving what customers want, but I think it is unfair to condemn a place for not being authentic when the demand is more Canadian than Japanese.
Tonight I sat at the sushi bar and ordered omakase, and I asked for it Japanese-style, rather than rolls. It was fabulous. Several of the wonderful fish selections were flown in from Japan and everything was exquisitely prepared. It was like being in Tokyo again. This is a fantastic place and where I will return next visit to Toronto. -
Review from Mike P.
Brampton, ON
10/29/2009
I love this place - I came across Nami when I was doing a search for best sushi restaurants in Toronto.
I have probably been here over 15 times in the last year and a half.
The service is great, the food is amazing and the seating is really cozy. Love having an entire section to yourself, its private, it just makes the entire atmosphere.
The sushi pizza here is amazing! -
Review from good e.
4/4/2011
Overall, I was a little disappointed after our first and probably only visit to Nami Friday night. It was recommended to us as one of the better Japanese restaurants in Toronto. (We were in for the Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks concert at ACC) The decor is kind of touristy cutsey, the servers are all in little matching kimonoes. It's a style. We were seated in one of the little enclosed booths with another couple.
My husband is new to the world of sushi, so we started off with a spicy tuna roll, which he loves. He enjoyed this one as much as the ones at home. He was a little frustrated with the dearth of selection of "non-seafood/sashimi" items. The only poultry selections were dark meat chicken. He does like dark meat chicken. I know there are cultural tastes (and I personally like dark meat); I don't know if this is Japanese or Canadian. He maybe could have ordered one of the set dinners for two with me, but I love sushi so that's what I was planning on. So he ordered the beef teriyaki, medium rare. It came with miso soup and salad. I ordered the Sushi Moriawase. (I would have just gone with the sashimi, but I wanted DH to try and I knew he'd have to have some rice to make it not so scary.)
First of all, my sushi was excellent. Beautiful plating, the flying fish roe was gorgeous, like tiny ruby jewels and popped in my mouth like pop rocks. Everything was fresh and yummy. Only disappointment was the mackerel. I'd never had that before and it was just plain nasty and fishy, but that's a personal taste thing, I am sure.
The miso soup was not too salty at all, a common problem.
So that's what we liked.
What we didn't like. We were rushed from the moment we were seated. The restaurant was half empty, but our waitress acted like she needed to turn the table NOW! We'd barely sat and looked at the drinks list and she was asking for our appetizer and drinks order. We asked for a few more minutes and she returned in three, so my husband hastily chose a glass of wine and I just went with water and we quick chose the spicy tuna roll as a starter.
We had the tuna roll within moments (I didn't feel as if it was freshly made in that time, or else the sushi chefs at our local are very slooooow!) and hardly had we taken a couple of bites when she wanted our entree orders. As I said, I ordered the Sushi Moriawase and DH the beef teriyaki. Our soups arrived---yum! DH got salad; I did not. His was iceberg lettuce awash in a pale, liquidy dressing of no particular flavor with a couple of paper-thin slices of radish. It was VERY messy to eat, dressing was everywhere. He'd hardly finished half his soup and salad and I was just about a third of the way into my soup when our entrees arrived. (I HATE the main dish being served when I am still trying to eat my starter---it's so rude and shows such poor timing in the kitchen) Like I said, my meal was enjoyable---DH...oh dear. His meat was over-cooked to a dull gray, and had the tenderness of old shoe leather, except for the couple of pieces that were essentially blobs of fat. If that was prime Black Angus beef, Nami committed a grievous crime to it.
The only time our server returned was to drop off the bill, while we were in the midst of our meal!!! The she hovered just at the edge of sight-line while we uncomfortably finished our meal and picked up the ticket. As soon as we had, she showed up with her little credit card machine. (Now that IS clever--have never seen in the States!) We handed over our credit card, signed, and she started removing the plates and serving pieces from the table. My husband still had a few bites of beef on his plate (but he didn't want the gristly stuff anyhow) but I would have liked to have finished the tuna roll that had come with my meal, but at that point, I was pretty disgusted and wanted to leave.
All in all, we dropped about $100 Can$ there in and felt hustled out in less than an hour.
Now to be fair, maybe this is culturally Canadian---this kind of promptness is considered good service, though I have not experienced it during stays in BC or AB---but styles can be regional too, I suppose.
I would recommend Nami for the sushi, but not for the other dishes and certainly not for the dining experience. It wasn't fun or relaxing.
(And I am still wondering about the freshness of that mackerel.)
