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Tojo's Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
1133 Broadway WVancouver, BC V6H 1G1
Neighbourhood: Fairview Slopes
(604) 872-8050
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
155 reviews for Tojo's Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Green tea creme brulee and pineapple ginger sorbet."
(in 9 reviews)
"...and even published in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die."
(in 4 reviews)
"The blue fin toro is to die for."
(in 4 reviews)
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155 reviews in English
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Review from Eric S.
12/28/2011
Tojo's is awesome! This place has been fabulous since the late 80's even before moving to this new swanky location.
Each creation is presented and created by the master (Tojo) and his trusted assistants who are learning the trade. The oysters are to die for and the Sushi is tasty, fresh, and melts like butter in your mouth when you devour it.
My friend, who was with me pointed out Hilary Swank among the diners. It is not UN-common to find celebrities eating here. -
Review from Edwin A.
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was my birthday so I was up for some spoiling, we both had the 5 course Omakase. After asking if we had any allergies or preferences 10 minutes later the first dish started to roll out.
Each dish was presented to us and described in great detail. They take the freshest selections that day, and Tojo decides and prepares the meals.
From what I recall we had:
Tuna ball - sauce zesty (lemony)
Octopus cut very thin super slippery
Sun tan (seared) salmon hickory smoked tempura rolls
Halibut cheeks in a tasty garlic sauce
Green tea creme Brulee
Tojo and his staff were very friendly, patient, and accommodating. There were at least 5 other parties celebrating birthdays that evening, it was a very popular restaurant choice.
I can now see why it's of one of the 1000 places to do before you die. I was very impressed by the food, decor, and service. It's world class. Makes a great choice for any occasion. -
Review from Kyle G.
12/2/2011
Tojo is the man. His servers are top rate, the blue fin toro was the best sushi I've ever experienced. Some day I hope to return and try Omakase with Tojo himself.
Best sushi resturant I've ever been to. -
Review from alice l.
1/29/2012
i don't usually write reviews... but after last night i felt i needed to let you all know...
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!! I got the 6 course omakase and was pretty disappointed. I've ordered omakase at other sushi spots and have always been wowed by the variety and the amazing tastes, textures and flavors of all the different dishes. Tojo's omakase was very one note. No variety. Fish fish fish fish fish fish. And when I finally got the sushi course at the end- one of the pieces of fish was actually so tough and chewy i had to spit it out- and i NEVER spit out sushi. Talk about a disappointment. I wish I could say it was a great experience. What a sad way to end our Vancouver trip. Boo, Tojo's...boo. -
Review from amy K.
1/18/2012
I have been to Swada in Ginza Japan and paid 500.00 per person for sushi and it was well worth the price.
On the other hand paying 150.00 at Tojo's for his omakase was money wasted. I have no issue with paying for good food but Tojo did not deliver. The items on the omakase was not any more special then the other stuff other ppl were ordering ( I see the other plates coming out b/c we sat at the sushi bar). Tojo tell us he is giving us the best by choosing the omakase menu but the fish was at least a couple days old and nothing special.
I have been here twice and spent over 400.00 for 2 ppl each time and I have not been impress. If anyone have tasted really good sushi instead of being brain wash by the local Vancouver crowd they will not vote Tojo as the best. He might have been the best back in the 80's when there was not much around and having a less traveled crowd as patrons. -
Review from Kashaya W.
Surrey, BC
1/5/2012
Tojo is a huge disappointment !!!!
My set dinner was the $120 6 course. at least 3 dishes are the cheap kind tuna you can find in any cheap BC sushi place (I think they are Marlins, but BC people called them tuna or White tuna for some weird reason). The marinated conch / abalone kind of shell fish was over over flavored, can only taste the vinegar and sugar. And the dosser is a scoop of coconut sorbet. LOL
How ridiculous for 120 dollar menu.
Go to Nishino~ Way better food for way better price and way better services. And on their omakase you will taste the real white tuna - Escolar. -
Review from Annie W.
10/28/2011
My Tojo's experience:
- Two people
- Good food (not "omfgamazing" - just good.)
- Nothing special service
- $320 bill
We left hungry, picked up some McDonald's drive thru on the way home. Return on taste for dollars? Big Mac wins hands down.
Sorry Tojo, but if any Japanese chef is gonna bleed me dry and leave me hungry it's gonna be Morimoto. Big Mac doesn't stand a chance against that guy.Listed in: Yelp 30 Day Challenge 2011
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Review from Aaron G.
9/16/2011
After going to Tojo's I feel a few things. Ripped off, less trustful of all people, and stupid.
Honestly, I was dying to love this place.
I ordered the Omakase with Wagyu beef at a very pricey $200+ (can't remember the exact price but about $230). It was listed right below the $120 6 course omakase.
Why was it so bad?
Google "omakase." http://www.google.ca/s... The THIRD search result is from Tojos! It says:
"When you order Omakase, you are entrusting the chef to create your meal. He will draw upon the freshest seasonal and local ingredients of the day to create a special dinner, featuring both hot and cold dishes and demonstrating the diversity and originality of Tojo's cuisine."
Nothing could be further from the meal I got.
I ordered Omakase, and didn't ask how many courses it was (it didn't say on the menu for the wagyu beef omakase). I also didn't ask what the courses were. You are trusting the chef (which I've always been very pleased with doing at other sushi restaurants). What I got couldn't have been further from this description. The food was NOT seasonal (and was the same as menu's listed on yelp from Feb of this year...it's not September). It was not diverse. It was not local. They didn't even give me fresh salmon (it was smoked salmon).
What happened is this restaurant used "Omakase" to COMPLETELY mislead customers, creating a situation where they do not know what they are getting for the money they spend, and then giving them something completely underwhelming if not downright crappy.
I have never written a bad review on yelp (please check if you don't believe me), even though I've had an account for years. This is mostly because I think most restaurants try their best and for the most part it's up to the diner to decide if they like it or not. Every restaurant I've ever been to I've felt that they honestly want you to enjoy your meal as much as they want to make money. At Tojo's I left feeling the opposite.
I've been to many places, expensive and cheap, and had good meals and bad, but this is the ONLY place that I've felt compelled to warn others to stay away from. The food was a HUGE, HUGE rip off. DO NOT DINE HERE EVER.
Needless to say, I got the wagyu beef omakase. It was a 5 course meal of non seasonal, not special food. In fact,after reading other reviews on yelp, I've discovered that the omakase here is just a boiler plate meal that hasn't changed in 6 months. We had all the same things we found in the other reviews. Nothing is really wrong with that except that the ingredients and fish that are in season and available during February are not the same ones that are in season and available in the middle of September, and you are paying literally HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS for this food.
What was probably was the most disappointing is that after ordering the 'trust the chef' tasting menu, the chef just felt like giving us something he didn't put any special thought or care in to.
For $230 we received 5 courses (even though the menu made it seem like it would be 6 or more since the much cheaper 6 course omakase was listed right above it at around $120) which we only knew would contain wagyu beef. Read other reviews to see the courses, they haven't changed in 6 months, really. The wagyu beef was only in one course, and was a small steak served with stir fried onions, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Maximum price I could possibly see paying for this dish $60. And at that price I'd still feel ripped off, just not enough so to write a yelp review. This one cost more like $150 considering you get TWO less courses than the 6 course meal. But honestly, I don't care how much it costs if I feel like I'm getting my monies worth.
I could go on, but will just say, I felt utterly ripped off and taken advantage of.
*edited to add the part about the google search. This blew my mind that they claim it's seasonal and the freshest ingredients. It was completely boiler plate.
This bears repeating:
What happened is this restaurant used "Omakase" to COMPLETELY mislead customers, creating a situation where they do not know what they are getting for the money they spend, and then giving them something completely underwhelming if not downright crappy.
I hate this place. Maybe it's good if you ARE Anthony Bourdain. -
Review from Jack S.
12/28/2011
Okay, I get it. Expensive sushi to the stars, but where's the sushi? We visited from Seattle, which has two great sushi restaurants: Fuji Sushi and Shiro's. We sat at the bar expecting great sushi--chef's choice. That's the way to go, but the chef hardly served sushi. Out of 7 courses, only Toro came at the end (before desert). And it was not a prime cut and the rice (shari) fell apart. The flavors of the cooked food were nice, but it was Asian fusion not sushi. It seemed more for the California roll set than for real sushi lovers. The experience left me thinking that we haven't seen the sushi--maybe it's good, but when I go to Fuji Sushi, for example, many of the choices are flown in from Japan, everything is fresh, and the rice is as it should be for less than half the cost. We may give it another try, but we'll sit at a table. I understand one can order sushi there.
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Review from Melanie J.
10/11/2011
Tojo's was an awesome place to eat. Ordered the marinated tuna tataki and it most certainly was the best I've ever had - simply melts in your mouth and the flavors were wonderful. After the tuna, we had the smoked sablefish and this also was so infused with so much richness it was wonderful. To finish it off, we ordered to rolls and I have to say the sushi rolls were just not as good as our first two picks of the tuna tataki or the sablefish.
I was very close to ordering the Omakase, but decided against it - this time. Next time, would like to be adventurous and try this out. I wish I could take off 1/2 rather than 1 star because of the price. I know Tojo has a reputation that precedes him, and he has many credits to his name, but I may have to venture into shyly saying....maybe a little overrated?
The folks singing Happy Birthday were entertaining and this is undoubtedly a great place to come for a date or special occassion. I definitely would come back again. -
Review from Jeff F.
Vancouver, BC
9/20/2011
I have been to Tojo's two times so far... I never know when or if the next time will come around... but it will... sometime... someday.
Both times we went we ordered omakase, "chef's choice". You pick a budget range, and talk to your server to outline things you do like, and don't like, and the chef will make a multi-course dinner up for you. You never really know what you're going to be getting, but the skill of the chef, and the freshness of the ingredients guarantee you'll be getting some sort of special feast for the eyes and stomach.
They have a good selection of sake, and a have a few different types of ume shu (plum wine... our usual selection).
Definitely a place you should check out once or twice in your lifetime. -
Review from Peeter L.
Toronto, ON
12/12/2011
75 percent average 25 percent extraordinary. Worth the bucks? Dunno a LOT of money for the extraordinary bits.
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Review from Yelper M.
Vancouver, BC
8/6/2011
Went to Tojo's tonight for my boyfriend's birthday (just the two of us). It was honestly the best meal I've ever had in my life. We had the eight course omakase, which today featured:
- marinated tuna sashimi
- scallop/fish/vegetable tempura
- dungeness crab salad with apple and sunomono noodles
- smoked sablefish with mango and asparagus
- prawn tempura cone with a special sauce
- tuna belly sushi
- yam, crab, prawn, and pineapple rolled inside thinly sliced cucumber
- green tea creme brule with fruit
The atmosphere was fun, welcoming, and classy at the same time. We loved every single dish that came out. Everything was very fresh and expertly made. We loved the sense of adventure of not knowing what was coming next. Everyone was very friendly; when we arrived they asked us if we were there for a special occasion, to which we told them it was my boyfriend's birthday. They surprised us at the end of our meal when they lit a candle for his dessert and sang a very fun happy birthday song to him. They also gave him a card wishing him a happy birthday and us 'another 100 years together.'
I'd already read reviews and had an idea how much it would cost to dine at Tojo's, so I wasn't surprised when I got the bill and it was $285 (we did not have any alcoholic drinks, just pop). It was absolutely worth every penny.
The next time I go to Tojo's, it would definitely be for omakase again. But having said that, Tojo's is definitely a special occasion, 'once in a blue moon' type of place. LOVED IT!! -
Review from Dave C.
Vancouver, BC
8/13/2011
This is a restaurant that is catered to Hollywood crowd. Restaurant and menu is Americanized Japanese food heavy on rolls and sauced hot plates.
Though not bad, it is not spectacular Japanese food as many are misled to believe.
Good Japanese/Sushi restaurants are not in abundance in Vancouver.
However there are a few great ones:
Sadasan over at Octopus Garden offers superior fusion/Japanese cuisine compared to the pedestrian fare offered here. Ajisai in Kerrisdale and Sushi Hachi in Richmond offers much more skillfully and carefully crafted traditional sushi. -
Review from Lisa C.
8/14/2011
The food is very ordinary here in terms of taste, quality and presentation. We got the $80 and $120 Omasake. While the $120 Omasake is a lot better than the $80 one, it is not nearly as good as the $85 Omasake's I had at Wakuriya or Sushi Sam (San Mateo, California).
The tuna sashimi for the $120 Omasake was good, but my father-in-law constantly feed us with similar quality or better tuna and hamachi. The smokey saberfish was interesting as well, but a bit dry in parts.
I wish we had gone to Blue Water Cafe instead. -
Review from Lulu S.
7/15/2011
Big disappointment. Very expensive and overall mediocre meal. Mr. Tojo was busy taking pictures with tourists and chatting with folks at the bar and maybe thats why the food was nothing special.
We had the 5 course set menu, the one course that was good was the sable fish but I have had much better at Blue Water cafe in Yaletown.
Service was slow but friendly. No foodgasm for me, there are so many other outstanding places to eat in BC that are much better values. -
Review from Ritchey R.
8/9/2011
I love sushi and this was another spot showcased on Anthony Bourdain's show so I had to try this out while I was visiting Vancouver.
I did the highest tier Omakase menu and it was amazing. Omakase means "entrusting", so basically i entrusted Tojo to arrange my meal. I am not well versed enough to tell you how well things were designed and executed but I know what tastes good and it was great! Yes I took pictures of each course to remember these food works of art.
I'm sure there are better sushi restaurants out there and probably way cheaper but I had a special meal at great place that was slightly a cut above of the rest. That's five on it! -
Review from Shawna L.
Burnaby, BC
11/19/2011
Nice atmosphere but very little a vegetarian can eat. Usually I can eat something at a Japanese restaurant but I definitely wasn't satisfied.
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Review from Lydia C.
9/16/2011
This place is a tourist trap. The first red flag should have been the listing of tv shows the restaurant was featured on, printed prominently on the menu. The wagyu beef omakase included super standard sashimi and spare, cheap (not even seasonal or regional) ingredients, and basically what amounted to a nondescript mound of beef that had been grilled and cut into cubes. The fact that the staff was so friendly made it even worse--you are literally being conned with friendliness while being robbed. It boggles me that there are so many positive reviews--it either means this place USED to be good and now is milking its cred, the positive reviews are shills, or paying 5 times the price for something somehow makes it taste better for some.
I've never felt so ripped off in my life. The least I can do is warn others to avoid this place. -
Review from Jonathan K.
5/14/2011 7 photos
At the encouragement of my food critic and culinary hero, Anthony Bourdain, I made the long trek up to Vancouver so that I could dine at the legendary sushi bar--Tojo's.
There is not much to be said of Tojo's that hasn't already been repeated in popular praise or criticism. The restaurant has been featured in numerous articles, television spots, and even published in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die." I can't agree that Tojo's should be considered a destination unto itself, but it certainly offers a good meal although at a less than encouraging price.
If dining at Tojo's, especially if you are visiting from out of town (or country), then you almost definitely need to order the Omakase. The Omakase (or "chef's choice") is a fixed menu where you are served whatever the chef feels are the best ingredients of the day and however creatively he can best exploit them. Before ordering, your server will inquire if you have any food allergies (for which the chef will make accomodations), but in general it would be considered extremely rude (dare I say, blasphemous) to reject any food that is put before you once the gears are set in motion.
The Omakase is typically priced in three tiers with the most expensive ones featuring more courses and more expensive ingredients, such as Wagyu beef. For first time diners, the least expensive Omakase will be sufficient. What you will receive is no less than an opulently prepared meal featuring Vancouver's freshest fare instilled with the imagination and elegance of Tojo's kitchen. The food is simply in a class of its own. Some may scoff at the high price of the meal, but I learned long ago that food is quite similar to fashion in that you often pay a premium for marginal improvements in quality. It's a reality you just have to face.
For people like me where sushi bars are generally plentiful and good, Tojo's can seem a bit of a waste. But the experience is what matters and although you may or may not reflect as superbly on the experience as others, you will definitely appreciate that you have it and can understand, for better or worse, what all the clamor is about. -
Review from David S.
5/16/2011
I was in Vancouver for a week long conference. By the end of the week, I had not eaten a meal that didn't come on a skewer at an after party, carried around on a little silver tray in a bar somewhere. When my conference was over, it was time to sit and have a meal.
Six course omakase. That's where it's at here. Plate after plate come and you don't have to think about it. In total, you'll get about 8-9 courses when you count the little things the bring out in between the actual courses. Each dish was lovely. One dish was a bowl of miso-smoked cod, the whole bowl wrapped in parchment and tied with straw. So very delicious.
The last 'meal' course of the dinner was a sushi/nigiri plate. Which was just ok. A bit disappointing given every other wonderful dish they brought us. Still was a wonderful omakase. -
Review from Lisa L.
Vancouver, BC
3/18/2011
Amazing. I brought my fiance here for his birthday and we had Tojo himself make the entire meal. It was spectacular. It felt like we had a million courses and just as many servers.
Each dish was fantastic. We could tell Tojo had a lot of experience and put in careful thought into making each dish. The servers started the meal by asking us what we did and didn't like. And everything that was brought to us, we liked! From beginning to end, I could not have made it better myself.
The best part was when the entire staff came and sang (out of tune, in English and Japanese) happy birthday to my fiance. A birthday I will remember for many years to come! -
Review from Ben C.
Victoria, BC
5/25/2011
My wife and I had a celebration dinner on Friday night and decided to walk down the block to Tojo's. We both really enjoyed the food and tremendous service.
I ordered the Omakase six course dinner, and my wife ordered a few dishes off the menu. The food was simply incredible, almost as good as Morimoto's Restaurant that we visited in Hawaii. The service was also very attentive without being in your face, and they did a very good job of timing my wife's three courses to match with my six.
They ended the meal on a very nice note by bringing my wife a complimentary dessert that was included in my meal, but not hers.
We didn't sit at the sushi bar, but Tojo made a point of coming over to our table to make sure we enjoyed the food and thank us for coming.
It was a great meal at a perfect place to celebrate a special event. -
Review from Peter T.
Updated - 2/23/2011
Well, I hate to do this after two glowing reviews, but I was at Tojo's recently and we didn't have a good experience. The food was excellent, in fact, better than excellent. The problem was the service - it took 2 and a half hours for us to order and eat our selected sashimi, sushi, and rolls. We were a group of six, and I can't even tell you how many times we had one of the wait staff look at our table with its giant empty ceramic clamshell and empty beer bottles and empty glasses, and just shuffle off in the other direction without even a word. We basically had to physically grab someone's sleeve as they were walking past our table to order food, drinks, and desert. Add to that the fact that our waitress messed up the split on our credit cards leading to some embarrassment and uncomfortableness at our table.
It's one thing if this were a Denny's on a busy night - but this is Tojo's and when the bill is nearing five hundred dollars, you DO NOT ignore your customers. This would be a one star review if not for the fact that the food was beyond excellent. But the service was just so awful that it will be a good long while before I consider returning.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/21/2010
I had the good fortune to dine at Tojo's again over the weekend, and if there is any restaurant on… Read more »
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Review from notcalvin c.
7/20/2011
I LOVE their sashimi. Came here twice, and it's about $100/person for just sashimi if you like, but the worst part is that you leave half full unless you spend even more. I LOVE the geoduck sashimi though, and I would come back a third time just for this.
However, Vancouver has so many top quality Japanese restaurants, that I"m not sure people need to splurge here.
The black sesame panna cotta was quite delicious though :) -
Review from Quddous B.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 11/13/2010
Really just overpriced sushi.
I went here for the third time yesterday to give them another chance to redeem themselves. I had omakase for the first two visits. This third visit I ordered a few different dishes.
Their sushi came out and was just huge chunks of fish on pieces of rice. It wasn't cut very well. It didn't taste amazingly fresh. It didn't look amazingly fresh. It actually looked as if they had cut the pieces hours before and had let them sit there.
I honestly have seen better cut pieces of fish at AYCE places.
The total bill was $180 yesterday for two people.
$25 per roll
$26 for an appetizer of just two shitake mushrooms.
I don't mind paying that much if the food is amazing. But Tojo's is sloppy and the food does not taste anywhere close to what it should be.
If you are looking to spend a lot of money on great sushi, then go to Miku, You will have a much better and cheaper meal.
If you are looking to try really GOOD sushi then try Sushi Hachi, Ajisai, Octopus Garden, Shiro, Yujis, Toshis. Any of these places will do a much better job for a much lower price.
If you are looking for GOOD other kinds of japanese food then try Kingyo, Guu, Zakkushi, Toratatsu, Gyoza King.
Take my advice - DO NOT GO HERE.
Save your money and go have two or three (or even four) much better meals at any of the other restaurants on the list for the same price.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/10/2010
good quality sushi and pretty delicious but not as amazing (creative) as it should be for the price.… Read more »
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Review from Chantelle J.
Vancouver, BC
7/22/2011
Oh my... what a disappointment... I've been looking forward to coming here for a long time since Tojo's was known as the best Japanese restaurant, but man, I was actually speechless. And what put me in shame was that I told my friend who is a wine and food expert visiting from California that this is the best Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. Maybe Tojo's had their glorious days in the past, but not with what was served when we were there.
The restaurant was quite busy for a Wednesday night because there was a filming crew and Tojo San himself was very busy running around getting pictures taken by the tourists and the locals. We got a table close to the bar so we could see what was going on. Things kinda went wrong from the beginning...
1. My friend and I wanted to order omakase, so I told the waitress in Japanese if we could sit at the bar because we wanted to do omakase and it doesn't make sense to sit at the table. The waitress told us that if we sit at the bar, we couldn't order from the menu (that's the whole point of omakase, we didn't need to order from the menu!). So I told her once again, that we would like to do omakase and we needed to sit at the bar. If we couldn't sit at the bar, then we will order from the menu. After about 2 mins, she came back and said there's no space at the bar (but they had 3 empty seats at the bar throughout the whole time when we were at the restaurant).
2. So we ordered from the menu, first we were served Tojo's selections (fresh catches of the day) and sockeye salmon sashimi. I couldn't believe that they didn't avoid the suji and it was right in the middle of 2 pieces. The quality of the salmon was also not up to the price tag. My friend and I looked at the plate, and we looked at each other, and it was a long silence...
3. Then, instead of serving our Golden Roll, we were served Tojo's Tenderloin.
So our bill came at about $250 for 4 dishes and a small bottle of sake, the 2 star rating doesn't mean their food is bad, but for the price tag, it's not worth it, especially the suji mistake for their sashimi, that's a definite NO NO at any Japanese restaurants, and I can't believe it happened at Tojo's. I think Tojo San needs to spend more time in the kitchen instead of running around being a celebrity. -
Review from Robert B.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2011
Tojo lost his mojo :-(
I haven't been to Tojo's for quite a while and I won't be going back for quite a while, perhaps forever.
We had the omakase as Denise W outlined here. It was very good but not anywhere near what it used to be. As usual, the meal starts off with the tuna sashimi. This time the server called it tuna tartare. Whereas the tuna sashimi of yore was delicate and tasty, this was just mushed up, slimy tuna. The smoked sablefish in paper was flat and old as it must have been prepared hours before and kept warm. The other dishes were okay but really nothing exciting.
Last time we ate there our bill came to $200/person all in. We were stuffed to the gills and even took home a few remaining pieces of sushi. It was delicious. This time the bill was nearly as much and we were barely satisfied quantity wise and far from satisfied quality wise.
Tojo wasn't there. Much, if not most of the food seemed to have been prepared far in advance. It didn't have any of the delicate taste and texture that it used to have years ago. It bordered on industrial. Tojo is just milking the reputation he has built up for so long. The food is still good and I would gladly eat there if it were one-third the price but the value is simply not there for the price. -
Review from Melissa V.
11/11/2010
Pricey! It's like the Morimoto of Vancouver.
If you're in Vancouver and looking for a Japanese/sushi restaurant, you just have to suck it up and go here. Fresh seafood, super nice staff- just an overall great experience. If you're brave enough, do the Omakase tasting menu! We topped off our dinner with a yummy green tea creme brulee :) -
Review from Belen C.
9/27/2011
Came here to celebrate my fiancee's birthday and it did not disappoint! We are from Los Angeles and have gone to plenty of sushi places and had never had sushi like this! We had the 6 course meal and it was beyond our expectations! they also have a wide variety of Sake's. Can't wait to go again!
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Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2011
What can one say about Tojo's? I once took a worldly traveler there and they said that it was ... " The Best Sushi in the World".
I concur (Although I have only ever had sushi In Vancouver) , after you have the Best ... why try the rest?
To confirm this there are dozens of awards and recognitions.. all gold medals!
We are so spoiled here on the Wet coast.
Tojo's has spoiled me for any other sushi, I have tried but after the Tojo Tuna that melts in your mouth or the myriad of Saki
My only advice is that if you are a regular sushi Eater.. don't go because nothing else compares.
It is expensive but worth every dollar -
Review from Matt C.
8/22/2011
We were initially very excited about eating here, thinking it would be some of the best sushi we'd ever had, but then read some of the reviews on Yelp that said it was overrated and not worth the price and got nervous. We decided to go anyway, but unfortunately were disappointed, too.
My wife's tuna appetizer was drenched in Tojo's "special" sauce and was way too salty; her salmon and avocado roll had mayonnaise, and it was sort of slathered inside the roll in a way that definitely did not enhance it. (I had a roll with shrimp tempura, also with a ton of mayonnaise, and thought the mayonnaise detracted from it. In addition, I had the shiitake mushroom stuffed with "moussed whitefish and scallop," but the bit inside the mushroom did not have the texture of that mix; it was sort of spongy, and the whole thing did not seem worth $26.)
Only my wife's "2010 celebration roll" (with crab, asparagus, and pineapple inside, and tuna, salmon, red snapper, egg, and spinach on the outside) was good -- and that was really good. We wished everything we'd ordered had been as good, but given the other dishes, we definitely wouldn't return and wouldn't recommend it to anyone given the price. -
Review from Kathy K.
West Vancouver, BC
11/10/2011
Terribly overpriced. Their sushi wasn't delicate enough to be categorized as Japanese fine dining quality. Sushi Hachi or Ajisai both have fresher and better sushi and rolls than Tojo's. I left the restaurant feeling hungry and very very disappointed. If Tojo's is trying to replicate what Japanese fine dining is like in Japan then it has failed. We paid $200/person at a one Michelin star Japanese restaurant in Osaka and it was so so amazing. Trust me, Tojo's does not even come close to that.
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Review from Elvis A.
8/26/2011
Tojo's name always came up when I asked my colleagues on what is the best sushi place to dine in Vancouver. The reviews supported this expectation as well. I was expecting something really special as the standard for sushi is already higher in Vancouver IMO. I didn't have a reservation as I was dining alone as it was a weekday as well. I got a seat on side and was not seated in the main area, understandable as it was packed. I didn't order the omakase and ordered items from the a la cart menu.
My order was Tojo's tuna and assorted sushi plate. The prices are high and I ordered Sapporo on the side. The tuna was nice and fresh and main sushi plate was assorted mix of what the chef felt was right. Total damage was 1$$+ now I wasn't blown away by what I got as I have had better sushi for a lot less. For a place that is rated the best in Vancouver and even some cases the whole of North America it was disappointing. Maybe I will come back again and try the omakase.
4 Star for sushi
2 stars for Value
Average of 3 star. -
Review from Danielle s.
Surrey, BC
11/8/2010
Tojos is really good, but be aware really expensive!
The rolls are kind of small and some can be up to over $20 each.
It is a very nice atmosphere though, and they have some unique dishes. It is fun to order the omakasi (or however you say it) because then you get a surprise and the chef selects your dishes according to your likings. -
Review from Kim S.
11/4/2010
Ever had so much awesome in your head that you couldn't decide how to put it into words?
The meal, no, the EXPERIENCE I had at Tojo's was easily the best meal of my life.. and I seek out great food and have had some spectacular meals. Nothing beats this. On top of that the staff was super friendly.
Yes it is pricey - but this isn't Tuesday night sushi.
We came here for a special treat on our honeymoon and sat at the sushi bar. A patron was leaving the seat near us and leaned over and said 'You guys are in for a treat - the sablefish is excellent tonite.' The randomness of this just added to our excitement.
We ate what ever the chef decided to make us and each dish was beautiful, delicious and full of new flavors.
I could go on and on about each thing and say that yes indeed the sablefish was excellent, but instead I'll simply say - it was perfect. -
Review from Anthony C.
1/6/2011
I really give it 4.5 stars. Pricey, yes, but sushi bliss, also yes.
Last time I had the Tojo's tuna special appetizer, assorted sushi plate and assorted sashimi plate. All highly recommended, as is pretty much everything else - the freshest fish in Vancouver, for sure. Beware sitting at the counter: you have to have omakase, and that gets ultra expensive real quick.
Service is really just ok, and the ambiance isn't that special, but there's the allure of delicious food and a chance to see the entire Toronto Raptors walk in for a birthday party.
A fifth star isn't far away, and you won't find better sushi in most cities.Listed in: On the Finer Side
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Review from Wayne H.
11/6/2010
I came to Vancouver to have fish. Good fish. And Tojos's has delivered.
It's peculiar that Tojo had decided to set up shop in such an underwhelming area of the city, but it hasn't stopped guests from piling in.
It's worth noting that people like to have their dates here, and most of them aren't Asian. If you're going to order fish, and by that I mean having those sashimi-filled wooden boats garnished with contorted fish-corpses delivered to your table, be prepared to get lots of looky-loos from your neighbors. It's amazing how many diners here haven't a clue as to what they should order.
Only schmucks would come here to order tempura; it's like flying to China and ordering beef and broccoli. Come on.
The pricing, compared to my hometown of LA, is very reasonable. The greeter was courteous and our waitress was friendly and amusing. You are highly advised to call in to make a reservation days prior to your visit. -
Review from Fiopo F.
West Vancouver, BC
12/12/2011
Tojo's , is it living off of its former glory? Is it a tourist trap? Is it the best sushi in town? The reviews are all over the place and I've decide to revisit it to draw a conclusion for myself. I had previously visited Tojo's as a tourist and thought the omakase I ordered off the menu was kinda good, but not worth the price paid. So now, as a resident of the city, I sat at the sushi bar which, according the lady who took my reservation, is an entirely different omakase experience. The food I got turned out to be almost exactly the same as the table omakase. But the experience was entirely different. Chef Tojo personally entertained us through our entire meal and I sort of got the sense of why he is so highly regarded. He remembers all of his customers and can fit a story about a customer that comes up to him into the narrative his gives throughout the meal without skipping a beat. Sure, he may seem full of himself when he tells you that he basically knows every hollywood star, professional athlete, billionaire, and living monarch, but he interweaves in within a theme of what the city is about and the current direction of it. He may not be the most skillful sushi chef with the most exotic fish on display, but he is a master salesman, entertainer, promoter, and storyteller.
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Review from David W.
9/18/2010
This restaurant is authentic Japanese cuisine, a rarity in Vancouver. Tojo's expresses itself through its subtlety's and is extremely unlike the many Japanese-American fusion (often Chinese owned and with Chinese cooks) restaurants that make up 80% of the 'Japanese' restaurants in North America.
Some people have said they didn't find anything special about the food, but I've personally found that most who say they 'know' about Japanese food would not be able to tell the difference between from a dish whose recipe originated in the east opposed to the west of Japan. Even the simple facts about Japanese cuisine such as 'sushi' (which doesn't accurately describe the food anymore as it roughly means "it's sour" and they no longer use fermented roots or fish in its preparation which ended in the 14th century). Also, 'sushi' is an uncommon addition to the Japanese diet outside of a special occasion.
Like a expensive and aged wine, it's wasted on the majority of people despite the fact they may in fact drink wine on a regular basis.
Tojo's refines itself on fresh ingredients, the blending of flavours, and its dishes that are inspired from north, south, east, west, and island cuisines from around Japan.
If you consider yourself a connoisseur with a sharp pallet and a knowledge of Japanese food beyond ordering box A then I encourage you to try this place.
Otherwise, places like Shabusen and the Kamei Royale always rate well with my friends that gravitate to a less adventuresome and western oriented pallet.
