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Tanpopo Fine Japanese Dining
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
1122 Denman StVancouver, BC V6G 2M8
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 681-7777
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- 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:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
39 reviews for Tanpopo Fine Japanese Dining
Review Highlights
39 reviews in English
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Review from Robert H.
Vancouver, BC
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sushi an Udon. Yummy! Good Soup, Good Sushi, Good Service, Nice Place. They also have an all you can eat sushi with a huge sushi menu. My GF and I ordered what we wanted, bill was about $65 (with the $10 tip) So definitely reasonable. They even tried to give us some free appys but we turned them down. Awesome I will eat their again, next time I may try the all you can eat. :)
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Review from T G.
Vancouver, BC
5/26/2012
We went here a half hour before their posted closing time on a Friday night (11:30pm) and the doors were already locked. Our friends who were already inside got them to let us in but it was all downhill from there.
Terrible service and the sushi looked and tasted like it had been sitting around all day. Not fresh at all and very sloppy.
To top it off, my girlfriend got a mild case of food poisoning from, presumably, the sashimi which I hadn't eaten.
Beware. -
Review from Angelica D.
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I used to love this restaurant. 10 years ago, it was awesome. The quality of their sushi was prime and their portions were huge. Now....it's gone down hill. Such a disappointment.
I'd much rather go to Toyama. -
Review from Lisa Marie M.
Vancouver, BC
Hmmm mixed feelings here.
I was craving meat on a stick ( mmmmmm meat on a stick !! ) one night, so my bf suggested we go here.
We had been here before, and enjoyed it.
We were quickly seated, and given a menu. We were starving and immediately started to order, but quickly realized it wasn't the all you can eat dinner, but the late night snack menu .
The waiter was friendly and quickly gave us the other menu. Basically , you chose items off the 2 sided menu, and they bring them to you. You continue to order, until you are full. (24.95 per person )
Ordered a drink.Japanese Beer for him, Green apple cider for me. Another girl (not our waiter) Brought me Dry apple cider- not what I had ordered, and was craving, but I was thirsty, and didn't want to wait for an exchange (if they still even served the one I wanted)
We started with edamame, bacon wrapped scallops, Goma Ae salad, chicken teriyaki, shrimp gyozas . All ok..but not too impressive.
Round two consisted of ) 6Tuna,and 6 Cucumber Maki (both were disappointing,with dry rice and the outer seaweed so tough, it was hard to chew)
We didn't finish many of these. We found the same to be true of the cones we ordered. No WAY the Nori was edible!
Highlights included
spicy tofu (yum!) salmon sashimi, tuna tataki ( all of which we ordered seconds of)
The Teriyaki beef looked really nasty and was filled with onions (no thanks) The BBQ Veggies were ok, but left a bit to be desired.
Finished up with a scoop in Neapolitan Ice Cream, which was stock generic scoop, obviously pre scooped and then put back in the freezer for such occasion. It was ok, but it would of been a nicer touch if Green Tea or Coconut ice cream would of been options.
Somehow, we found the food to not be as good as we had remembered.If it was up to my BF he would give it 2 stars (then again he has been to Asia many times, so he is a bit more critical)
Don't think we will return any time soon. Then again, I think its time for me to return to Jenny Craig, so this is a good thing.Listed in: Downtown Vancouver, Yummmmm
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Review from Dan G.
Deep Cove, Vancouver, BC
1/21/2012
Both the food and service were very good. Some of the wrap jobs on the rolls were a little amateur but what do you expect when ordering all you can eat.
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Review from Herman E.
11/28/2011
Well, one of the few reasons I have been to AYCE places is because I have a buddy that likes to tell people how many plates he can finish in one go at a restaurant. Wait...."tell" is the wrong word, how about brag?
I have to give him credit tho, he does have his limits. When he went to Hooters and they gave him a steak knife to eat with his chicken burger......guess what? HE FRIGGING NEEDED THE KNIFE!!! He couldn't bite through the damned thing!
Anyhooooo....you can certainly pig out here, and I can't say that the food adequately, measures up to the name of the place, i.e. the second word, "fine". A bowl of fried rice, or what ever it was, was pretty bland. I came in with low expectations and it measured up to it. Not the best food but edible. -
Review from Micki C.
9/28/2011
This is your classic if-it's-too-good-to-be-true-it-probably-is. All you can eat sushi happy hour for $13.95/person. I feel ridiculous even admitting that we fell for it.
This was the worst excuse of sushi I have ever seen. The roll selections were limited and poorly constructued. They were already unraveling when they arrived to our table. The crunchy roll made me laugh out loud. Literally a sushi roll stuffed with crunchy flakes. That's it. The salmon nigiri was the saving grace--should be with awesome, fresh fish 2 feet away. The only other item we liked was the fried veggies.
Surprisingly, this place was packed on a Friday night. Either we ordered the wrong items on the menu (we tried almost everything between 3 of us on the HH menu) or my sushi preferences are not in line with Vancouver's. Perhaps great if you aren't there for all you can eat happy hour? -
Review from Vanessa P.
Edmonton, AB
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is the SHII--! It was fairly cheap ($17-18?) per person for a lunch all you can eat special.
The amount of sashimi we consumed was already worth the amount we paid. The sashimi was juicy and melted in my mouth. The teriyaki chicken very moist and the rice was delicious as well. The chicken katsu was also very impressive. I found the motoyaki oysters to be too mayo-y, but either than the they were succulent! The menu doesn't seem like much selection, but trust me, it did it's job 110% in making me feel very satisfied.
Our servers were nice and patient, as we stayed there for quite a while. The food came out quick and honestly this place is so worth me gaining 3lbs for.Listed in: 30 Day Yelp Challenge
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Review from Chris B.
Vancouver, BC
9/27/2011
The sushi is good, but the price of admission is the variety. For a low all-you-can-eat price you can spend hours without having to ever make a decision - just order some of everything.
Their 2nd floor patio in the summer is a fantastic hidden gem, just overlooking Denman Street. -
Review from Jamak G.
1/4/2011
We had to wait in line for a good 25 minutes to be seated. The line went down the stairs.
Once we were at our table, every time we wanted something, we had to wait then ask again then wait till we finally got service!
I go there for the all you can eat Sashimi so didn't care all that much. We ordered 100 pieces of Sashimi and got 40! But that's ok. You can always ask again right?
I'll go back cause the food is good for the price :-) -
Review from Bryan B.
Vancouver, BC
12/16/2011
This used to be my favorite sushi place as the lunch special was all you could eat and their sashimi was on the menu and very, very good. As of October 2011 Sashimi is only available up to 10 pieces total per person. I always thought it was too good to be true.
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Review from Minori I.
North Vancouver, BC
12/22/2010
Had all-you-can-eat for $21.95 (dinner).
since every plate costs $10, we decided to go for all-u-can eat, and of course we stuffed ourselves...
Offering lots of choices was great. But i had better sushi. sashimi piece was so small..., so recommended to order many if you are sashimi lovers. Cones were good. I'm just not sure if
Desert choices are not impressive.
Good service and good ambiance. Only recommended for all-u-can-eaters who love decent Japanese food. -
Review from Ellie C.
Vancouver, BC
11/13/2011
UNFORTUNATELY they no longer offer unlimited sashimi orders in the all you can eat menu! you are now limited to 10 sashimi pieces per person. After that you can opt to pay 1$ extra for every 5 pieces. They're a business they gotta make money blah blah blah.. I don't care. I'm gluttonous when it comes to their sashimi. BUMMER.
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Review from Dani F.
Vancouver, BC
5/1/2011
I'm usually a fan of the all you can eat menus because I get to try a bunch of different things... and I have to admit Tanpopo's menu has a lot more choices than a lot of other sushi restaurants.
The staff was very friendly and helpful, service was quick.
The sushi however, was not the greatest quality.
They served kani maki and called them california rolls =\ -
Review from Adelina W.
Richmond, BC
1/30/2011
Came here for all you can eat dinner. It was fairly decent for the price ($22) you pay. There is definitely a lot of variety.
My favs were: cod katsu, chicken katsu, spicy tuna roll and the sashimi. The pieces are small, so you need to order a lot if you want to fill up on it.
Disliked: beef tataki, scallop bacon roll
Everything else we ordered was just kinda meh. Nothing too special about it. Would I come back here again? Only if my friends wanted to. I rather try other all you can eat places in Vancouver. Not to mention, its at an awkward location to get to by transit and parking is horrible in the area. -
Review from DeMarus A.
9/28/2010 4 photos
As a Native of San Francisco, now living in NYC (and have lived everywhere in between), this is by far the best Sushi I've ever had!!! I went two days in a row for their Sushi Buffet, because yes, it is THAT good! Not only was the Salmon Sashimi heavenly but the service was impeccable and the patio a nice place to people watch.
I definitely recommend Tanpopo, if only there was one back in Manhattan. -
Review from phillip w.
8/7/2008
This is the only place I wasnt too impressed with, it wasnt A-Ok material.
and yes "meh Ive experienced better" is more like it.
yes its cheap, but just because its cheap doesnt mean it will please my taste buds or my stomach.
I guess for a cheap quick fix come by, otherwise you do have a wide range of restaurants to choose from. -
Review from Rachel P.
Vancouver, BC
1/9/2010
All you can east sushi sounds like a bad idea to me. I had images of clutching my plate while standing in that horrible buffet queue, you know, you end up spending half your evening shuffling along in that line, piling your plate high with average food, rather than actually spending the evening with your friends.
Most buffets tend to espouse the old quantity over quality approach and often the food has been sitting there for god knows how long just stewing away until it reaches perfect bacteria breeding temperature. Grim, I know. But Tanpopo was a pleasant surprise!
We got to stay seated and have quite the raucous evening with our group of 10 while our friendly server brought us our chosen items. I love ordering off the menu, and here I still get to select items, but AS MANY AS I WANT. No buyers remorse, no food envy, just satisfaction. And to top it off, the food was delicious!
The spicy salmon sashimi melted in my mouth, in fact all of the sashimi was super fresh! Cheesy baked oysters, bacon wrapped scallops, tuna maki, beef teriyaki udon, tempura yam, squid, pork cutlets....you name it, we ate it. And it was all good.
Very economical night out, all you can eat for $18.95 per person, Sapporo on tap and a reasonably priced wine list. We drank a Californian Sauvignon Blanc that was $22 per bottle and wasn't a bad drop. The only little thing they could improve was the lack of tunes.....no music? But to their credit, they didn't bat an eye when our debauched and rowdy group belted out some songs ourselves. Good sports. Full bellys and good times all round. -
Review from josh j.
Calgary, AB
12/1/2011
If you're uber hungry, watching your budget, and craving the raw fish, this is the place to be. Bear in mind, it's AYCE, so that has to temper your expectations. The sushi, both nigiri and maki, is good, as is the hot food, especially when you consider it's AYCE. You're near English Bay and you didn't have to find an ATM to eat loads of sushi. There you have it.
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Review from Rebecca R.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2009
We used to go to this restaurant once a month many years ago. But the quality declined and we stopped going. A few weeks ago I had heard that my friends had gone and had a terrific time. We decided to give Tanpopo a second chance.
We decided to take advantage of the lunch all-you-can-eat special for $13.95 and were seated quickly. Tea was instantly delivered and our orders were taken without delay.
The food that we ordered was great for the most part. The rolls, sushi, cones, teriyaki, soups, salads, sashimi were great. The only items that I didn't like were the Salmon sashimi (it was a too hard - if that makes sense) and the deep fried squid (we didn't like the batter).
We were well taken care of and our tea was constantly refreshed. Empty dishes were removed immediately. We walked out feeling satisfied and happy, our sushi cravings taken care of. -
Review from Kristen M.
8/7/2008
I don't know if it is every night, but they have all you can eat for around $20. I don't really like sushi, but my other BC travelers do, so they are all for Tanpopo. I love the rumaki and gyoza (they have shrimp and veggie kinds). I just order that all night long....mmmm.
And they have good beer, just keep the pitchers coming. I drink the beer, the boys eat the sushi. It's a great system.Listed in: Van-coooo-ver, EH?
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Review from Gagan D.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
All-you-can eat and fine dining cannot be used in the same sentence, unless it's to point out how they are contradictory restaurant concepts. The sushi is not amazing, but it's what it is and at $14 for lunch, you could do a lot worse. Nice in the summer when you can sit outside on their rooftop patio and watch sea gulls and crows attack unattended plates.
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Review from Jill V.
2/20/2011 9 photos
The Tanpopo experience is NOT a typically buffet. There is no buffet line, no self service. You are however treated to unlimited dining from the dinner menu for a fixed price. This was a unique way to experience sushi, since in my head each piece was priceless. The sashimi was very fresh--melted in our mouths. I LOVED the place, the service was speedy enough, but take your time, savor the favors and variety. And order only what you'll eat. You will feel like a king (or queen) for the small price of $22 for dinner!
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Review from Thu N.
11/5/2009
$10.95 for lunch (which lasts until 4pm) or after 9:30pm, its a pretty good deal for all you can eat. I tend to avoid all you can eat places because of the sloppy quality and I really have passed the wanting to test how much I can eat.
However, for a super late lunch where you crave sockeye salmon sushi it's a pretty good deal. I LOVE sockeye salmon and enjoy that that's the only salmon available here. Oddly enough I really enjoy the gyoza and chicken wings too.
I definitely don't recommend paying anything over $10.95 for a meal here though!Listed in: Visiting Vancouver for a…
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Review from karen c.
Vancouver, BC
8/21/2010
I've never had such bad AYCE before. I came here for take out once - and I thought that the food was decent. We thought that we would come back to Tanpopo for their AYCE as it looked appetizing.
This is going to be a long one...
Service is definitely better than their food. As good as the patio seating may be, don't go out there past 8:15pm in the summer time (August). We could barely see what we were ordering and especially how the food looked when it got to the table! And nope, no candles and no lights outside.
Food? Gosh, I think I've made better Japanese food at home! We thought we would get the $23.95/person option and have "better" food. Man, I was WRONG! Portions are far too big for AYCE. It's pathetic to not be pre-warned as to how much is one portion. And the rolls? There's a minimum of 6 orders per roll! That means if you like california rolls, you'll be getting six pieces! NOW somebody please tell me when an AYCE restaurant ever made such a rule! Yes, the rolls had lots and lots of rice! You get very little inside ingredient and LOTS of rice!
THIS PLACE IS A RIP OFF!
Oh - and what ticked me off the most was that they tried to serve me completely black oyster motoyaki! I refused to accept it and the waiter tried to argue with me that the motoyaki is fine and NOT burnt deep BLACK! I know it was dark and all, but it's pretty darn burnt when I can see it in the dark! -
Review from Joey L.
Vancouver, BC
10/26/2009
Im really mixed on this little deal...here's the downlow:
Spicy tuna maki was sssloppy. Rolled poorly and oozing with after-ssslauce. (better off taking it off the menu).
1/5.
Spider rolls were rolled a bit sloppy but soft shelled crab was cooked to perfection.
4/5.
Sushi sashimi was very well cut, primo fresh, and presented well.
5/5. -
Review from Namit M.
7/7/2010
OK the place only deserves ONE STAR for the food. The service and the patio seating got the other star.
Wow in a city full of Japanese residents not seeing one Japanese patron should have been a clue.....but no the patio did us in.
The menu is heavy (no pun intended) on deep fried and overly sauced food. The sashimi is very mediocre - the hand rolls are drier than a popcorn fart. The tempura (and most other fried items) were greasy and over battered.
No more Tanpopo for me. Writing this review is giving me some heartburn and some scary flashbacks. -
Review from Sheriff G.
Vancouver, BC
9/19/2011
The sashimi is fresh. the service is great. I've been there 4 times already and the service and the freshness has been consistent
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Review from Carl W.
9/12/2008 4 photos
I don't get it. I did some online research and it seemed like people liked the place, but I was far from impressed. The sashimi slices for the all-you-can-eat were a good 1/3 the thickness of the standard. It's still cheaper than most places but I would gladly pay a little more for better quality food. It's ironic that there are tons of celebrities (although I'm not too sure, I don't recall any of them) with signed photos on the walls calling it the best in town. Perhaps they're quite dated.
Points for being close to a Beard Papa so I can salvage my lunch somehow. -
Review from Jo D.
Vancouver, BC
8/11/2009
AYCE Regular Dinner $18.95.
AYCE Deluxe Dinner $23.95.
We ordered off the regular menu.
For starters, the service is decent. No complaints there.
The two stars is indicative of the food. Everything is just meh. Deep fried snacks were lukewarm at best. Excessive batter on the tempura. Rolls are made with sub-par ingredients. Bones in the sashimi. Tasteless soup for the udon. No salt on the overcooked edamame.
The bacon wrapped scallops were good though. Though that's definitely not enough to woo me back. Doubt I will eat there again.
For AYCE, try E-bei, Richmond Sushi, Shota, or Shabusen instead. -
Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
8/29/2009 3 Check-ins Here
It's all about what you order here I think I got the knack here. Sockeye Salmon sushimi good, tuna sushimi not so good, rolls no good at all, cones good, prawn tempura good, teriyaki chicken good, gyozas good, prawn sushi good, oysters are ok, well you know this place has been around for nearly 20 years and I have seen them do better in their earlier days.
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Review from Dr J.
Vancouver, BC
9/8/2009
Although the sushi isn't gourmet-style, it's great for the price of all-you-can-eat for lunch ($13.95). This is a favourite!
Listed in: Japanese
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Review from Mike A.
Victoria, BC
5/26/2010
Got the all you can eat lunch B, which is great selection and value. Service was friendly and the food was pretty fresh (even though we got in 15 minutes before the last call).
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Review from B R.
Vancouver, BC
8/18/2010
I really like Tanpopo, just because I like all you can eat sushi. However, my fiancé has gotten food poisoning the last 2 times we went there. My advice: steer clear of the oysters, and some of the other more exotic items. If you stick to the basic menu, you'll be A-OK.
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Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/7/2008
On the second-floor, this sushi place has been here for over a decade and is always busy. All-you-can-eat-sushi is really appealing to many and for under $20, it's a massive amount of sushi that people are willing to fill up on, even if they're not hungry. In the summer, a huge patio is perfect to soak up the sunshine. The views are partially of the street and English Bay. The menu has both hot ans cold items such as sushi, sashimi, oysters and deep fried chicken dishes. Most of the rice is white rice and I don't find the quality great. But it's cheap. Be prepared to wait.
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Review from Danny D.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2010
Food is good great all you can eat for downtown at $20. Great patio.
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Review from Sarah D.
Vancouver, BC
2/15/2010
This has been a favorite place of mine for many years now. A great place to go with friends and hang out enjoying their All You Can Eat menu, and usually some Asahi beers as well.
The food comes out quickly, you have no time to complain about how hungry you are. It's 8 out of 10 times delicious and enjoyable, with the odd 'off' day here and there. The servers are great, and always remember me and my friends. I've had many birthday lunches here and it's always a pleasure. I do not eat meat, and am very pleased with the menu choices I have considering that. Most places I go, it's slim pickings for me, but not here - the world is my tofu, at least at Tanpopo.
They have an incredible agedashi tofu, and deep fried vegetable gyoza, best I've ever tasted. As well as a house salad with a really tasty dressing.
There is a great view of Denman Street, and the patio is lovely on a sunny day. Highly recommended! Bring your friends, and enjoy the many delicious options on the menu as well as a great West End vibe and view. -
Review from A S.
7/7/2010
Good if you have never had sushi before and like to eat huge quantities (all you can eat)
Otherwise, not recommended. -
Review from Hassan A.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2008
ok this restaurant is known for their 20 bucks all you can eat sushi but its not always all that. I love their terrace in the summer where you can sit up and look over english bay. The food is again just ok.
