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Tokyo Kitchen
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
20 Charles St EToronto, ON M4Y 1T1
Neighbourhoods: Church-Wellesley Village, Downtown Core
(416) 515-0387
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sat 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Tokyo Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"best Chicken Katsu Curry I've had in Toronto." In 2 reviews -
"This was offset by the really awesome potato croquettes." In 5 reviews -
"...Japanese restaurants that go beyond the usual sushi places." In 9 reviews
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Shiona R.
5/13/2012
So darn good! I have never eaten sushi in Vancouver...but friends from Van advise that this was the closest they have had to Van Sushi place in Toronto.
Friday night saw a trip to this fine place. I would go as far to say it has probably been the best sushi I have had in T.O. So delicious and fresh. I had the sushi and sashimi combo and some vegetable tempura, loved it all. Be prepared for a fair amount of food, portions are huge. Few friends had katsu curry...portions looked really big. Sushi and sashimi dinner comes with soup and salad.
The platter looked amazing and was beautifully presented. The waitresses were helpful and friendly, very attentive and service was quick.
Plus they do takeout...get in!
The restaurant was so quiet which meant our table for 10 were easily seated, on a Friday night this was really good. Being this quiet I was a bit apprehenisve however I certainly was not disappointed in the slightest!
Sushi and Sashimi dinner...just do it! -
Review from Mariko M.
7/9/2011
Bestie was in town and so my search for very inexpensive, legit Japanese food began. Thanks to a friend, she lead me to Tokyo Kitchen.
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If you're planning to celebrate a milestone, TK may not be the place to do it, but if you need a quick, cheap Japanese bite ... TK does the trick.
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This establishment is conveniently located just 2 block away from Bloor Station. The menu is pretty extensive. I wasn't completely blown away and wouldn't make an effort to come back, but if you're in the area and want Japanese food, why not? -
Review from Grace T.
NORTH YORK, ON
3/17/2012
Fortunate enough to work in the area, I come here whenever I have a chance. Everything is so good here, it's hard to pick a favourite. I love the tempura and even eat the veggie ones that I normally wouldn't eat, just because it's that good! The fish is fresh and the curry & donburi here is great, it's quite hard to pick what to eat every time.
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Review from Athena Y.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2011
I've only had take out, so that may account for the differences, but I found Tokyo Kitchen very average. I had Katsudon, which came with a small soup and salad, and takoyaki. The katsudon was ok, nothing special, and the portion was kinda small. The takoyaki had only one small piece of tako each; the rest was batter.
Overall, the food was ok, but nothing special. Probably will not go back again. -
Review from V A.
Toronto, ON
1/16/2011
I only had the chance to sample the take out from this place, maybe I'll go back to try the dine in and give a more complete review.
I got the beef bento box, but I had to pay $1 above the "daily special" price, as salmon was on sale that day.
Packaging - Wow, i have never seen a lunch takeout packaged so well. Even the salad dressing had its own little container, so that the salad wouldn't get wilted.
Salad - authentic dressing, but the size was a bit small.
Teryaki Beef - Beef and sauce was nice, but again a bit small. Rice was good.
Other - Can't remember what they were [as this review is a little late], but I'm sure they were good.
Sushi - California rolls were good, salmon was nigiri, which was surprising.
Summary - Food was tasty, but portion size was a little lacking. Is this due to takeout? I'm not sure until i return for dine in. -
Review from Grace Y.
8/30/2010
A great little Japanese place with sushi as well as tempura and donburi. Outdoor seating available.
Very polite servers and the sashimi was fresh. I did wait a while to get my food, but that might have been because 2 parties ordered right in front of me. -
Review from Paul R.
Toronto, ON
11/14/2011
Always reliable, genuine Japanese food and excellent service.
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Review from Steph L.
5/15/2010
Out of the Japanese places in the hood, this is a great lunch spot if you are craving something not just sushi.
This place is actually Japanese run and the menu is packed with authentic offerings.
Japanese curry is probably the most popular dish. It smelled great, sweet, thick, rich, warm, and tasted delicious. There wasn't very much meat. This was offset by the really awesome potato croquettes. It wouldn't have been nearly as good without the crispy croquettes which added something extra to a rather simple dish.
They have sushi specials which they post on the wall.
My friend had the special which was fresh and tasty. But the rolls are small.
We were both still hungry after, so if you have a healthy appetite, you will have to order some sides.
Overall, it's a great spot and the quality of sushi is better than other places nearby. I will go for the soba next time. Not really a dinner place, but Tokyo Kitchen is great place for a casual Tokyo lunch. -
Review from Clinton C.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2010
My most recent experience with Tokyo Kitchen was getting a takeout meal, though I've dined in the restaurant numerous times.
Nestled in the same building as a municipal parking lot, you might miss it entirely if you weren't paying attention. Its recent renovation gives it a modern chic look, and is perhaps motivated by the two new condos that are soon to be full of potential customers. To be honest, I kinda miss the atmosphere of the old decor which gave it a warmer, homier feeling. They even had "natto" hand-written in kanji on a piece of paper taped to the wall. When you order it, the wait staff may regard you with surprise especially if they know you're not Japanese, but if you persist, they'll serve it to you. Ask for natto with egg yolk and scallions.
They serve both cooked foods and raw sushi, though the sushi selection is necessarily limited to ensure high turn over and therefore freshness. Don't expect much beyond salmon and tuna most days. That being said, the offerings I had were always fresh.
The cooked foods are uniformly good, including most of their fried dishes like karaage, kaki fry and tempura. I also like their donburi a lot; their katsudon comes with breaded porkchop that is nonetheless moist and flavourful if a little too salty sometimes. Their curry rice is pretty good as well. They used to have an omelette curry and a "hamburg" curry which I don't seem to see any more. Maybe I'll try asking for it anyway the next time I drop by for dinner. And I echo Ryan R.'s appraisal about the croquettes... very, very good.
Notes: I mention that they take credit card, but it's actually Visa only. Also, the washroom is outside of the restaurant and you need to bring a key with you. I believe it's part of the parking lot building, so this might put some people off.Listed in: Best "Typical" Japanese…
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Review from Laura D.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2010
I can't sing enough praises about Tokyo Kitchen! The menu here features mostly traditional, homestyle type meals that I haven't really seen anywhere else. Stuff like Japanese-style curry, croquettes, donburi, karaage, etc. are what make this place completely unique and awesome. They do of course have the typical fare (sushi, gyoza, edamame, teriyaki, etc) that you'd find in most Japanese restaurants here, all of which are equally delicious. :3
My favourite dish here is the Japanese-style curry. I keep meaning to try more from the menu but I just can't seem to pull away from the deliciousness that is beef curry or curry with croquettes. The karaage was also super delicious. The sushi is also really fresh and like everyone else says, is served in smaller sizes that seems to be more traditional and easier to eat. Heck, even their "regular" menu items like the gyoza, miso soup, tempura, yakitori, etc... they're all amazingly delicious here.
Another point worth mentioning is that this is an authentic Japanese restaurant, owned and staffed by Japanese people. There are plenty of Japanese customers that come in and you're pretty much guaranteed to hear several conversations in Japanese over dinner. The service is also really fantastic, as all the waitresses are very quick to refill your glasses and are very polite and friendly. The restaurant was recently renovated (in 2009 I think) and the only thing that's changed aside from the decor is that all ramen seems to have been removed from the menu. There may be one or two other things missing but that was the big thing for me, as their ramen was amazing.
And on a final note, yes, their washroom is located outside of the restaurant itself. I've never had to use it but I think it's either in the parking lot or in the breakfast place located next door. -
Review from Chris N.
4/15/2009
Order: Karage, Croquet Curry, Shrimp Fry Curry, Tempura Soba
This the perfect spot for a small business meeting over dinner, catching up with a friend over a meal, or simply dining alone. This place has just gone under renovation as well, so most of the interior has just been redone. The waitresses are courteous and helpful too. They'll even give you the time of day to chat with you if you'd like - one older man did during my dine in experience and it was quite entertaining.
Anyway, the menu they have is extensive, filled with traditional Japanese appetizers and meals. Sometimes that's not necessarily a good sign, but having had a small variety of their dishes, I was quite impressed. The curry was flavorful and the fried sides were juicy and delicious. My favorite though was the karage. The soba noodles were great too, some of the best I've had outside of Japan. Having lived in Tokyo myself, this place brought back pleasant memories to my taste buds. Overall it wasn't food I would die without, though I may kill for it every now and then if I lived in the area. Marketing itself as a typical Tokyo kitchen, it definitely gets the "Tokyo kitchen" part right, yet is far from typical in comparison to the other Japanese places out there.
[Pros]
+ clean, quaint dining space
+ fair price for pretty good food in pretty good portions
+ fairly large menu including many authentic Japanese appetizers
[Recommendation]
+ Karage -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2010
One of the better lunch spots near Bloor and Yonge. The Beef Curry with Shrimp Cutlettes ($9.95) was quite tasty. The Beef Curry was really more like beef in gravy and the Shrimp Cutlettes were essentially 3 breaded shrimp. I guess that's just how they roll in Japan; works for me.
Wait staff are super efficient and polite. The space inside is small but they have a nice outdoor patio as well. -
Review from Zachary G.
Toronto, ON
6/9/2011
Had the beef teriyaki lunch special today. Beef was dry and chewy. Spring roll was average. Salad was a few pieces of lettuce and one tomato that were soggy from being placed in the same box as the beef. Would not return.
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Review from Ryan R.
Ottawa, ON
5/28/2009
Recently renovated, delicious home style japanese food.
The croquette cury is delicious.
Nice patio, and great place to go for lunch. -
Review from Jason K.
10/15/2010
just because they dont have a restroom in the dining area doesnt warrant 4 stars.
seriously, i love this place. the ambiance is unpretentious. the clientele actually includes japanese expats and students. and it's the few places in toronto that i can get a GOOD oyakodon or katsukaredon. in fact, it's one of the only spots in toronto that reminds me that you CAN get good authentic japanese food.
p.s. no offence, but i'm feeling "ventish".stop saying you like japanese if you order anything teriyakiListed in: making do with being so far…
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Review from Dio S.
7/16/2010
Small neighborhood restaurant is clean, bright, and tastefully decorated. An elegant, light-filled place. Saw lots of good hearty hot dishes on the menu, which makes this a place to come for all sorts of cravings. I love the curry rice bowls, tried it with croquettes, omelet, and fried pork. Big portions with ample amount of curry, which is good because it's a common problem for me to get too much rice and not enough curry. It's not very spicy, and simply delicious. A few carefully selected sakes and shoju are also available at decent price.
Also tried a juicy, lemony, lightly crispy, absolutely delicious fried chicken nuggets appetizer (not called karaage though...a different dish). Love it. Cold soba was decent. I did not order but was impressed by the variety and amount of food on the sushi/sashimi lunch special and the bento box specials. Beautifully presented too. Definitely above the usual formulaic ones at a lot of places. Tempuras were battered and fried quite nicely too.
There's no ramen here though.
Service was really bad my first time there. Being the only customer but still took forever to get waitress attention for everything. But improved the second time at a busy lunch with a different waitress.
Overall, solid all around. -
Review from Alice T.
7/2/2010 10 Check-ins Here
I love this place... best Chicken Katsu Curry I've had in Toronto.
Tokyo Kitchen has a very traditional Japanese feel about it, not big on sushi rolls covered in tempura bits. More on traditional Japanese sauces and flavours.
Their curry sauce looks homemade with little morsels of braised beef in the sauce. It's an umami lovers paradise. Their age-dashi tofu is also delicious.
If you've read some of my other reviews, you'll see that I tend to get stuck on a few favourite dishes... so to be honest, I haven't tried much else yet so stay tuned for an updated review... -
Review from B M.
Toronto, ON
4/8/2011
Went here tonight for the first time in years. This place no longer has ramen on the menu so i don't see a reason for going back. Who actually likes Udon??
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Review from Joan L.
Mississauga, ON
6/7/2010 5 photos
I have walked by Tokyo Kitchen many times since I have started volunteering across the street at Sanctuary (homeless shelter). I have always noted the cute ambiance and the interesting looking menu. Finally, I managed to sneak off work to come all the way uptown to have a meal here. My verdict: MMMMM! TK has amazing home style comfort food! I really recommend their fried dishes over everything else - I think that they have mastered the art of tempura frying. Seriously.
If you take a look at my pics, you will see that I tried the
1) Croquette - yummy! The sauce is perfect and the batter is perfect and the potato stuffing is perfect. Just perfection all around!
2) Chicken Katsu with Egg Corn - Delicately seasoned and again, fried perfectly. The corn egg makes the chicken a little mushy at the end of the meal ... but you know what, that is a given.
3) Lunch Special A - Hello TEMPURA! This is the highlight of the dish ... we had so many different kind of vegetables (yam / eggplant / lady finger etc) and TWO shrimp. The rolls and salad were ok (tho a little small in size). The teriyaki could have a much better kick to the sauce. But overall, I was so pleased with the tempura that I overlooked the other little mishaps.
The service was impeccable (constant refills with a smile). The décor is so charming and tranquil. Yes, I will come by .. often. For the fried goodies. :) -
Review from Kelly L.
Toronto, ON
8/26/2011
I love this place! Great food, great service, and CLEAN. Coming from Vancouver - land of many Japanese restaurants. This authentic Japanese restaurant has some of my all time favourites. Katsu Curry, Takoyaki, and Coquettes. My go to place for some Japanese comfort food.
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Review from Denise S.
4/13/2010
Tried this restaurant that I had never heard of based on the positive reviews here, and was not disappointed!
Having traveled to Japan twice (and going for a 3rd time in a month!), I'm always looking for authentic Japanese restaurants that go beyond the usual sushi places. Tokyo Kitchen is a small, low-key restaurant that doesn't have to try too hard- the delicious food speaks for itself.
As the other reviews mention, the restaurant had many Japanese-speaking patrons, always a good sign!
My 2 dining companions and I went a little overboard. There were so many things we wanted to try, but in hindsight I think we ordered too much because we could barely finish everything.
We had the croquettes (appetizer), which were crispy and reminded me of typical izakaya-fare in Tokyo. We also shared the tempura - a good litmus test for a Japanese restaurant. The tempura was nice and light, not too starchy or greasy like at some other restaurants. Then we had a tuna and vegetable appetizer (I forget the name), which was very fresh.
I ordered the chicken curry dinner, which comes with a side salad (why do all Japanese restaurants insist on boring iceberg lettuce? however, the homemade sesame dressing is flawless). The chicken is fried, similar to tonkatsu, and served on skewers. The curry sauce is hearty and just a little bit sweet. My friends had the sushi dinner and sashimi dinner. They said the sushi and sashimi were good, but not amazing. However, prices were very fair.
Despite the authentic Japanese dining experience, there are a few anomalies. Service was just okay. At one point, our waitress seemed confused and brought us someone else's dish. Green tea is actually from a tea bag and the miso soup is served with a spoon -- not really how things are done in Japan.
Overall, though, this is a great find! Our dinner came to $75 and we left very full! (Probably could've done without so many appetizers). Looking forward to go back soon and try more dishes!
(Oh and Natto -- fermented beans, is now on the English menu too in case anyone is interested).Listed in: Patio Season!, Oishii!
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Review from Thom H.
4/24/2010 2 photos
Don't let the casual dinning room fool you - Tokyo Kitchen is definitely a cut above most Japanese restaurants. There are alternatives to the same old sushi here that are really wonderful, fresh and well presented (see photo). Take a slurp of miso and you find yourself saying "Wow, this miso is much better than most". Try some rice on its own and you realize it's the best rice ever. It's just noticeably better than at most places. For bento box, I still prefer Sushi Delight on Danforth, where both the grilled beef and the tempura are better, but when you want to break from the normal Japanese fare, this place stands out. I get the impression that regulars linger here long after their meal, so it's comfortable and not rushed.
