A Japanese restaurant on Broadway that is consistently rated one of the top restaurants of its kind in Vancouver.
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Reviews
Added Aug 16, 2009 by Nighthawk of Delta [Ladner] (6 Reviews) The Tojo magic was lost on me...
While the presentation was excellent, and the food was at worst solid, there was nothing outstanding about this place.... On a blind test taste I am confident that I could not discern a qualitative difference between Tojo's and an AYCA sushi place..... though I concede perhaps someone with a far more refined pallet may be able to do so.
The last time I visited this place, I was more astounded with the cost of the meal and I was with either the food or service. I will not return. I just don't feel the price, especially in this economy, is anywhere near justifiable.
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| Added Aug 16, 2009 by smelly68 of VANCOUVER (1 Reviews) a wonderful experience for those who appreciate great ingredients.
We had the omakase tonight. It was such a great experience. Tojo himself explained all of the dishes to us, recommended when to cleanse the palate, how to eat the dish and whether or not soy sauce, ponzu sauce, or any other sauce would complement the dish. We had a great variety of fresh fish including toro and lobster, the presentation was clean and spare (no stupid garnishes!), and Tojo based how much he made for us based on how we felt (hungry, full, etc). Tojo was a very friendly, humble, and down to earth dinner guide, and it is obvious that many famous people dine here because of his personality and the quality of the ingredients he uses.
I think to be able to enjoy the omakase, you need to be able to appreciate great flavor and freshness, texture, and maybe have some experience trying tasting menus and sushi beyond the "all you can eat" variety. It is really unfair to judge a restaurant by how much sashimi you get dollar for dollar, pound for pound, as many reviewers have unjustly done. Tojo's commitment to great, fresh, local ingredients is the reason why the price is higher than most establishments. There is so much careful preparation which is evident when you see the kitchen staff in action.
One must also remember that Tojo's innovative rolls have been copied by almost all Japanese restaurants in....Vancouver...and Canada! People looking for innovation - well, you've found the source. Sometimes a return to pure and simple is very refreshing, especially when the city is full of "fusion", and the innovation lies in the combination of flavors and textures, not presentation or molecular gastronomy.
We intend to return, and would love to be "regulars", like some of the hollywood directors that faithfully frequent Tojo's. The price does prevent us from visiting more than a few times a year (and you really should just do omakase every time), but if I had the money, i would go a few times a week. Eating there is just very relaxing. No booming dance music, like most other establishments.
A very classy, humble, elegant place with old school japanese values, blended with Vancouver modernity. Forget all the negative reviews, those are so uncalled for, and can basically be traced to a problem with money, or inexperience with high quality japanese food. bring your credit card, order sake, and enjoy. |
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| Added Jul 29, 2009 by chickenfoot of New West (1 Reviews) Bad Experience With japanese Food
They took our reservations for Friday night but lost it so we were forced to wait for two hours at their bar. If you leave the bar for a walk then they take you name off the list. They are rude, arrogant and the food is average at best! Don't waste your money on Tojo's they don't respect their customers and there is better Asian food in a dozen other Vancouver restaurants. They didn't have the wine we wanted and brought us a 'substitute' at the same price which I later food out was $8 cheaper at the wine store. |
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| Added Jul 28, 2009 by marymac of Delta, BC (129 Reviews) So sad to say this...
As others have commented, I am thinking that Tojo-san has gone just a bit above himself.
I have been a Tojo fan since 'way back at Jinya, back in the 80's. It was always fantastic, always worth it. When he set up "Tojo's" near Cambie, it was fun and still worth it.
The new location leaves me cold, as does the value of what he is pumping out. I took Japanese visitors there for omakase, and I was embarrassed, as well as quite a bit poorer.
Service was almost non-existent, but an Indian gentleman who spoke Japanese was very much in the spotlight.
The omakase was NOT worth the money, and even my Japanese visitors figured that out. Lots of premade cooked dishes, a few sushi items and that was it. Tojo-san himself came out to collect kudos. Even with the Japanese, he was a braggart, boastful.
Too bad, but I don't think that I will return, even after all these years of believing.
NOT recommended. |
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| Added Jul 28, 2009 by rchew of Vancouver (7 Reviews) Does Tojo think we're stupid?
I am amazed wtih all the incredible japanese restaurant in Vancouver, there are people who still think Tojo's is the best in town. I had been skeptical about it from various reviews and word of mouth, but I had some friends who were visiting and wanted to try. All I can say is for those of you who still sings Tojo's praises and keep saying it's worth it, you need to check out other places in Vancouver.
We had the $110 Omakase and was it a big disappointment. There was no Toro, no Umi, no Lobster, no Fois Gras. Sure the fish were fresh, but so are the fish at almost all the good Japanese restaurants in Vancouver. I was expecting some innovation nouveau Japanese cooking given you can get all the usual stuff at other places for same / better quality, but nothing that special at Tojo's. The presentation is nice, but I am there for the food first and foremost.
For those who say the prices are within what you expect for good Japanese restaurant in North America, that is true, but the other places are WAY better and more innovative. So as a traditional Japanese place, Tojo's is way below standard, while being an innovative place, it is not.
I think unfortunately, many people who go to very expensive restaurants refuse to admit they've been had even when it's obvious everything is overpriced.
I will not go back to Tojo's for sure. I didn't even have to pay for the meal and still thought it was mediocre. Lastly, ever wonder why there aren't any Japanese people eating at Tojo's? I think they know their Japanese food best...so why aren't they at Tojo's when you see them at Aki or Guu or all kinds of other good Japanese place? Some food for thought! |
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| Added Jun 6, 2009 by deniz of richmond (6 Reviews) flawless
I have read the mixed reviews about Tojo's, but still went for our anniversary dinner. We ordered the omakase. First things first our food was extremely fresh and flavorful. Each dish presented just right. It was a nice showcase of simplicity and elegance. Everything was cooked perfectly.
Prices.... well it is expensive. Does it worth it? Yes, sir. Tojo' s is one of the best japanese restaurants in North America. It is an experience to eat in his restaurant. And anywhere else in the world, you would pay similar amount of prices for Sushi. So I dont get the smart-ass remarks on this column about how over rated is this restaurant. I think Vancouverites are a bit stingy on money for dining out of this type. Oh well you can't satisfy everyone... Tojo well earned his reputation. Go for it! |
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| Added May 23, 2009 by fstone of New West (1 Reviews) I finally made it to Tojo
The food was OK to good, the ambience was OK and depending on your taste better than OK and clearly if you see his wall he has received more medals and commendations than all the restaurants on Broadway combined, but is it a value at $250? Is the wine that says Tojo's on it fair value at $40?
I am not saying it is bad but this place is for gf meetings not wife dinners.
As you can guess the answer is no, no and no and the service is below average. |
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| Added Apr 13, 2009 by barbara of vancouver (8 Reviews) Tojo Top
Finally made it in to Tojo's the food and it was amazing. It's hard to say anything about anything else. I went for the food and left amazed by it.
Service was ok, not the best but considering the level of food that was presented it must be hard to keep up we went to experience the menu.
We can't wait to go back
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| Added Mar 9, 2009 by roxyork of Hong Kong (1 Reviews) Overpriced and Over-rated
This restaurant is overpriced and over-rated. On top of that, chef/owner Tojo was arrogant, insulting, and condescending.
The restaurant's interior design was a bit dated and the ambience was dull. One would expect a much more sophisticated atmosphere for the price he charges.
We found the food was not creative and original as Tojo proudly claimed. For those who don't know any better, don't be fooled by what he tells you. Really, I didn't think our dinner was anything worth raving about. If you travel more and you have been exposed to world cuisines, you'll know what I'm talking about.
It didn't measure up to the numerous restaurants on the streets of Tokyo (Tojo implied he was superior to his Japanese counterparts), and they were friendly and reasonably priced.
We had something called 'Omakase', meaning that the chef would decide what he would 'creatively' conjure up to impress his guests (and of course he would also decide the $$$$amount of the bill). Usually it is pretty nice, and we are no stranger to it. But at Tojo's, what a mistake that was!!! What a rip off that was!!!
What we had:
1. Sashimi of local salmon, tuna, snapper, and geoduck clams.
2. Diced mixed seafood in sea urchin sauce, served in a half sea urchin shell. The sauce had an over-powering sourish taste.
3. Handrolls of mixed fish. It was as ordinary as any other handrolls.
4. Small pile of cooked dungeoness crab meat served on a large crab shell. I love crabs, so I liked it. Again, nothing creative and original about it.
5. Smoked sable fish in broth. This one was ok.
6. Cut rolls or more like a stripped down California Rolls. I couldn't believe it, we were having Omakase and he served us rolls. I was expecting something I'd never had before. Well, of the 8 pieces we only ate 3.
7. Plain uni sushi without seaweed, I guessed Tojo ran out of ideas.
We stopped at that because we were disappointed and to be honest, it was filling.
The food was ok in general. No surprises. But for that price, I expected to be 'WOW'. I was, not by his foods, but by the 'check'.
The check came and the food was CAD $260 for the 2 of us. The small bottle of sake was CAD $38. It said 'Tojo's choice' on the sake menu, that too was average.
This is for people from Hong Kong:
When we first sat down, Tojo asked where we are from, we said HK. The condescending bastard said (with hand gestures) "Tojo up here, Hong Kong down here, 300 places below." I wondered if that was necessary. But with a comment like that, I suggest my HK friends can delete Tojo's from their list when they visit Vancouver from now on. Oh, he also kept bragging that he's got MONEY.
Last but not least, we noticed he doesn't smile to his customers. He looked miserable throughout our entire dinner as if he didn't give a damn. We did not feel particularly welcome.
Andrew Law
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| Added Feb 1, 2009 by hungryhungryhippo of Vancouver West Side (3 Reviews) This time it wasnt as impressive
Been to this restuarnat many times in the past years, both new and old location. Each time has a good impression on its own. The service was usually good and even though it is expensive, it was well worth the pride much like drinking a starbucks coffee over a McD.
This time, coming with guests of mine. Actually my aunt and uncle, food critics in their own right, picky as heck, it fell flat on my face. Although we were promptly seated and in our booth as requested, no server came for 10 minutes. As embarrassing as it is, we had to wave to flag a server. This is not only seen as rude to the server but annoying in such a prestigous restaurant. BUT unfortunitely, we had no choice since we had nobody to help us.
The food was decent, it wasnt as "awesome" as I would have hoped it to be. We had a vegetarian in our family so we ordered a chefs selection for her and two 150 tojos selection.
Frankly, the money wasnt the problem tonight, we just wanted to have the best for my family. 5 of us, the bill was 600 dollars and yes we were full but the items were not nearly as impressive as they should of been or i would have hoped they would be.
The only uniqueness was the blue fin toro for 79 bucks, as an a la carte item. We also had a few nigiri and cones that were good.
WE think it was a solid restaurant. However it isnt always easy to deliver prefection everytime. |
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| Added Dec 30, 2008 by spike of vancouver (7 Reviews) Would never go back regardless of the food!
I visited Tojo's a while back first at their old location and more recently at their new location. There's no doubt that their food and quality are great, however based on their escalated prices, we would have expected more outstanding and extraordinary dishes. However, the service we received was so poor that we would never go back - first, we waited over 45 minutes to get a table and once we were seated, waiting for our first few dishes, the waiter asked if we wouldn't mind changing tables so they could make room for a larger party. We agreed, then once we started our meal, the waiter again asked if we would mind moving so they could accomodate another large party. We again agreed, and after we moved tables, the waiter forgot the remainder of our order and we waited over 30 minutes to get all of our dishes. Although they apologized, their lack of service and lack of courtesy to existing patrons was unexcusable! They offered us "free" ice cream dessert for our troubles which we wholeheartedly declined! It was a total insult to the troubles we encountered and poor experience we received. We would never go back regardless of the food! |
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| Added Sep 25, 2008 by indigo19 of Shaugnessy Vancouver (16 Reviews) Tojo Traditions
Yes, it's overpriced. Yes, it's amazing food.
The first time I went to Tojo's, I was at the other location (the new one does more justice to the food). Our server overcharged us and became quite upset whn we figured this out. The second time, I was at the Broadway location--it was quite funny, because the same waiter looked at my Dad and said "Ohhh, I think I have served you before sir.." However, upon biting into a decadent piece of Toro, I discovered and almost choked on a bone. Imagine! A bone in a piece of fish costing upward of $4.00. Quite crazy. Needless to say, that soured my third experience (no, I didn't order Toro again) in which our server seemed to pop up every 5 minutes wanting to see if we were done with our table. A "Great Pacific Roll" ( salmon and avacado) cost $18.00...cmpared to a $3.75 roll of the same ingredients at most other Japanese restaurants. Altogether, an experiece not to be missed.
Remember, Tojo invented the California roll, the BC roll, the Spider Roll, and the idea of putting the rice on the outside of a roll. |
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| Added Sep 19, 2008 by akiman of vancouver (3 Reviews) Good but overpriced
Everything was pretty solid but man is it expensive or what ! . I've been a two times now and both times I felt like I paid too much for what I got . You would think at these prices that we woiuld get the ultimate sushi experience but both times I felt like something was lacking in comparison to the bill . I guess with the cost of a new place comes the big price but that shouldn't mean we have to pay for it in one year . Maybe I need to get a better job ( like rock star) to keep up with this place |
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| Added Sep 4, 2008 by itadakimasu of Bby & VanCity (40 Reviews) A unique experience
A lot of very positive and very negative reviews here that's expected. First of all, I agree with the other reviewer who said people in Vancouver expect japanese food to be cheap and very few can imagine paying $100+ for a meal. But when yuo go to Tojo's, it's an experience you cannot find in any other japanese restaurant in Vancouver. I've sat at the bar and at tables. I've had some bad experiences with one or two of the servers (yes, they're sometimes aggressive) but other times they are very observant and on the ball. When you go with omakase, you'll be served works of art. The room is gorgeous and slick. Tojo himself is visible and approachable. If you want to experience the ultimate ripoff in japanese cuisine, try Nobu in the US which shouldn't even be called japanese. Go to Tojo's with an open mind and enjoy. |
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| Added Aug 31, 2008 by gmon of Burnaby (10 Reviews) Food OK
Went to Tojo's yesterday. Food was a cut above most sushi restaurants I have eaten at, however not as good as I expected.
For the price, I expected a lot more that I got. The service was so..so. The waitress was pushy and rude! She pushed the omesake and told people to stop talking so she could tell us the specials. |
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| Added Aug 18, 2008 by statikman of Vancouver (1 Reviews) Worst service ever
Server interrupted us while we were presenting a gift to our guest.
We waited 20 minutes with nothing and no offer for drinks while our guest was served dish after dish.
When our food arrived I ordered a beer. It finally arrived 15 minutes later, long after the sushi was finished.
The server completely forgot one dish and them blamed the kitchen for it.
All in all, the worst service I have ever had in a "high-end" restaurant. I would never eat at Tojo's again. You can get comparable sushi at at least 5 or 6 other places in Vancouver for half the price and get good service. |
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| Added Aug 10, 2008 by feynman of Vancouver (6 Reviews) You get what you pay for
I have always had omakase at Tojo's sushi bar, so I cannot comment on the experience of those who sat at the tables or ordered off the menu. From my personal experience though, you absolutely get what you pay for here - unbelievably fresh fish, expertly prepared by the master chef Tojo and his army of apprentices in ways that you have likely never experienced before.
Tojo's new location is a huge improvement over his old restaurant; the decor and ambience finally match the quality of the food. Service is still hit or miss, although sitting right at the sushi bar helps a lot in that regard.
The meals are expensive - I have paid everywhere from $110 to $165 a person for omakase at the bar. Not once have I regret dining at Tojo's, and my dinner companions share my sentiment. |
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| Added Aug 7, 2008 by paulbel of WVan (3 Reviews) Sit at the Bar; come more than once
Every highly-rated and expensive restaurant suffers from the trepidation and expectations that diners set up in their minds before they go. For many those expectations become impossible to meet, and not matter what the experience, they feel cheated.
Tojo's is especially vulnerable to this because
1) It's "Japanese" and the expectation is that Japanese food is cheap.
2) The media coverage is truly amazing - and it's not because of his "PR Machine" - he doesn't have one. Truly: none. everyone comes to him.
3) Tojo's is not a typical "fancy" night out. Never was, never will be, in spite of the new, classier decor.
There are three truly exceptional passionate chefs in Vancouver: Vikram Vij (and his wife) are one (or two); Pino Posteraro is one; and Tojo is one. There are other very very good professional chefs (Hawksworth and others). But these three gentlemen are complete and total insane chefs. Not businessmen. Chefs. They live for food and for creativity. If you go to any of these, but let's talk about Tojo' here, go to taste the world through their sensibilities. Don't go to compare your favorite Japanese dishes. Don't go for a romantic candlelit date. Go to see and feel and taste what Tojo and a staff of totally dedicated superior souchefs have made out of what happens to be fresh and local and interesting today.
Do not order from the menu - how are you going to reach beyond what you already know? Do not sit at a table: enter into a conversation at the Omakase Bar. Don't keep looking at your wallet. If you went to Jean Georges in New York or Andy Danko in San Francisco, you wouldn't begrudge the prices. Tojo's is not a sushi place. Don't compare it to other sushi places. In Japan there are sushi places and places that specialize in cooked dishes. Tojo's does both superbly. That's very rare. Take the time to find out what he can offer you.
I've been eating at Tojo's various places (Maneki, Jinya and both Tojo's) regularly for more than 25 years. I can honestly say I've never had the same meal twice. If you truly want to experience what this passionate and obsessively creative chef can offer, put yourself in his hands, and come more than once. Learn the seasons. Learn the Vancouver climate. Learn to taste. |
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| Added Aug 6, 2008 by rsm25 of miami, fl (1 Reviews) Truly disappointing.
We feel like we just got spanked. We sat down at Tojo's and ordered the $110 per person omakase sushi menu, for which the restaurant is renowned. It is in Vancouver, after all; the glorious Northwest fisheries are at your doorstep. You might figure that a restaurant with this kind of presence -- one consistently awarded Best Formal Japanese by a local magazine -- will serve decent sushi. We specifically asked the charming waiter to bring us the best sushi, we can handle esoteric. Someone mentioned toro, aji, hamachi, uni, etc, at which point the waiter asked us if we wanted to order or if we wanted omakase. Oh yes, we'll have the omakase - we are happy to be in the chef's hands. Normally this means that the chef will choose the best fish, add in some strange things, and make you an amazing meal that costs an arm and a leg. At Tojo's, it seems that the omakase is an opportunity for the chef to charge a lot of money for a cheap meal. After the first two appetizer courses - yesterday's toro, marinated in something, then a shiitake mushroom stuffed with fish cake - I warned my companions that we should turn away any more appetizers. So each time an appetizer showed up, we'd ask "where's the sushi?" The charming waiter would then reply, "It's coming." Five appetizer courses later we were each served with a dish of three pieces of sushi, accompanied by four pieces of sushi rolls. We all looked at our plates, figuring that we'd order more sushi when we finished this paltry amount. It was not to be the case. We were served decent uni, as should be expected, as the best uni anywhere comes from less than 200 miles away; there was a piece of ok hamachi, which is unfortunate, as you can get better hamachi anywhere; and each of us got a piece of decent albacore toro, which is really sad -- anywhere on the west coast of North America, it should be astounding. The rolls were boring and fishy and cold. I'd rather have had something from the supermarket's sushi counter, something with cream cheese. But the real nail in Tojo's coffin was that the sushi rice was cold and bland. That's a sure sign that no one behind the sushi counter cares at all what he's doing. Sushi rice is special; it's the thing that separates you with your fancy knife cutting up a piece of salmon from a real sushi chef at a real sushi counter. Sushi rice recipes are jealously guarded; no sushi chef will ever share his recipe with anyone, even his sous-sushi chefs. It takes years of experimenting and testing and learning to develop your own, and it is the mark of a real sushi establishment. Tojo's serves cold, tasteless sushi rice. The sushi was so disappointing that none of us wanted to order any more. We went straight to dessert, a soggy green tea creme brulee that must have been sitting in the refrigerator all day. And then the check came. It wasn't a surprise, of course; I knew how much it would be when I sat down and ordered the omakase, I calculated how much more it would be each time we ordered something else to drink. What was surprising was that they actually had the nerve to charge us what they told us they were going to charge, after serving such a disappointing meal. What was surprising was that we actually paid the bill, and that we added a tip onto the check. But after all, the service had been fine; it was the food that was bad. I mentioned the cold rice to our otherwise charming waiter as we left, and he said that the warm rice is for the people at the sushi bar; and that if we had wanted more sushi, we should have said something. I still have no idea how to respond to this.
Altogether this was a completely frustrating evening. It makes one wonder what experience people have with sushi when they offer such positive reviews of this restaurant. Please don't fall for the hype as we did. I could never recommend this restaurant to anyone whom I did not want as an enemy. You cannot possibly make a more expensive mistake than to visit Tojo's.
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| Added Jul 29, 2008 by socaqueen of vancouver (2 Reviews) extremely overpriced
four of us were there for dinner at the sushi bar for the menu tasting @140.00 per person food only Not including drinks is totally outrageous...especially when the food did not consist of anything expensive...e.g bits of tuna, chopped scallops, crabmeat, avocado.....the only dish that was a bit different was a small piece of black cod baked in paper and the 2 stuffed morel mushrooms. There was absolutely nothing exquisite about the menu except for the presentation. the cooked dishhes were bland.
There was nothing on that tasting menu that could have totalled 140.00 per person. There was absolutely no service, we had to keep asking for drinks and not even once did they change our plates. The only thing that was positive about the place was the decor. Never to return for a fancied up sunomono salad and california roll. Overall it was a lay me down and take my wallet experience for close to $800.00 for 4 with 2 cold sakes and 4 hot sakes and a beer...UNBELIEVABLE |
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| Added Jul 12, 2008 by xenoc of vancouver (5 Reviews) pricey but excellent food
Having been to Tojo's about 5 times, I would highly recommend going early (6ish), sitting at the bar and ordering the omakasa (tasting menu) with house saki. The sushi and ala cart menu items are fine but overpriced and nothing special. The omakasa however is really terrific and often very inventive with a wide range of dishes which complement each other very well. Also sitting at the bar means you are not dependent on the wait staff which can sometimes be good and sometimes frustrating. As many reviewers point out, the price is high but I've been very pleased the last few times I've gone, as have all my guests, when we have done the above. |
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| Added Jul 5, 2008 by donwon of Morganton, NC USA (1 Reviews) My Best Sushi Experience to Date
I visited Tojo’s last evening for the first time. As a newcomer to Vancouver, I had sought advice from others and this place came highly recommended by the primarily Asian staff at my hotel.
Beginning with the very polite and well spoken young host who seated me, without a reservation on a Friday night at 8:00 PM and continuing with my server, who was also the bartender, I could not have been happier with my experience.
I came in with no experience with chopsticks but felt I owed it to myself to try. The bartender was humorous, encouraging, and helpful to the point that I managed my entire meal using no silverware. He and his helpers gave me a polite applause for my mastery of them.
The food was unique and well prepared. I found the sushi to be interesting but felt the overall meal fell a bit short of satisfying my appetite and ended up ordering an additional appetizer to fill the void. Even this was met with approval from my wonderful server.
Contrary to other comments found on this site, I found this staff very attentive, the food well above average and the facility very comfortable; a pleasant break from hard benches and tacky decorations found in other establishments of this type.
As I have a business dinner meeting this evening, I have called back and made reservations for tonight. You will find me at the sushi bar, looking forward to extracting the stories that others seem to dread from Tojo. I can only hope that he is as interesting as the rest of his staff.
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| Added Jun 27, 2008 by foodforall of West End (21 Reviews) Expensive, But worth it?
Yes, Tojo's was expensive. There's no doubt. Was it worth it? That of course comes down to personal experience, and of course the value that each individual attaches to their $. Personally I enjoyed my experience at Tojo's.
The kitchen food was particularly creative and the quality was good. The sushi on the other hand was okay, but nothing special. I can think of a handful of other restaurants that produce sushi of equal or even greater value.
The ambiance I found to be a bit boring, but definitely upscale. The open kitchen was quite impressive.
The proprietor himself was attentive, but a little over the top. We overheard him claiming to be the first sushi chef in North America! The inventor of the California roll?!?! Give me a break... My partner and I just rolled our eyes. Perhaps such unsubstantiated claims are good for business? I guess.
Overall, a good one time experience. |
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| Added Jun 27, 2008 by diningRL of East Vancouver (52 Reviews) Best Fine Dining Japanese
The first time I came to Tojo's I expected to foot a large bill, as my colleague comes here once a month and had given me the FYI. I ended up paying $220 before tax for 2 (no Sake). The food is incredible. A lot of flaming about the ridiculous pricing, and I agree, it's quite expensive... but Tojo's is a Japanese fine dining establishment - I think a lot of folk who dine at Tojo's for the 1st time expect to pay slightly more than at an AYCE restaurant, which is definitely NOT the case. That aside, we received great service - our waitress gave us a lot of attention and explained the origins of each dish cause she knew this was our first time.
The only negative experience came at the end of the night... we capped off a great meal by not finding my car where I parked it (in the parking lot in the back of the restaurant)... apparently someone from Tojo's called in to Drake's to tow it away.. there are no signs indicating no parking, and Tojo's even advertises that the back parking lot is for customer parking only... but apparently it's for 'frequent' customers (he has to recognize the cars). Sorta sucks, ended up forking out another $93 + cab fare to pick up the car from the Drake's yard... anyways, moral of the story is to not park in the back unless the man himself knows your car...
Back on topic: I'd recommend going to Tojo's for anniversaries or really special occasions - definitely not a 1st date place as this will set a really bad precedent ($$$)... Anyways, I'd say a good benchmark would be +/- $100 per person. |
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| Added Jun 10, 2008 by maggeh of San Francisco (1 Reviews) Service So Poor, it Bears Repeating
May '08
We arrived for an early dinner and ordered the tasting menu. Service was so poor that we had to go to the kitchen three times to find out what was going on. The bill was over $600 and the meal took three hours, but by the end my husband didn't even know who our waiter was because he was in the bathroom the one time the waiter spoke to us.
We palmed some cash to the apologetic and very kind busser, who was the only person who delivered anything to our table, and asked to speak with management. When she found out who our waiter was, the manager just shrugged. The only conclusion we could come to is that the waiter must be related to someone.
The food was fine, but with the exception of one dish, our sushi was just... sushi. The whole experience was baffling and a month later it still upsets me. I genuinely felt they were taking advantage of us. Something incredibly dysfunctional is going on there. Please ignore the people urging you to go, it clearly isn't the restaurant it once was.
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| Added May 30, 2008 by tokyoastrogirl of Los Angeles, CA (2 Reviews) Tojo needs to be humbled. BIG TIME!
We went to dinner last Saturday at 8:00 PM and arrived to a half-empty restaurant. Sat at bar.
Tojo started off by telling us that he would prepare us food we’ve never had before- amazing, different things that would surprise us. “Bring it on!” we thought, as we ordered some cold sake and settled into our seats. First up- chunks of tuna dressed with a ponzu sauce swimming in grated yamaimo (mountain potato) and topped with fresh uni. Delicious, fresh, subtle. Similar to dishes I’ve had but a fantastic version. The next dish would definitely count as something neither Jesse nor I had ever experienced before- morel mushrooms that size of golf balls, stuffed with a mixture of shrimp and scallops, flash fried and topped with a sauce. First of all, I’d never seen morels so large in my life- the ones here, if and when you can get fresh ones, are tiny in comparison. They were slightly crispy on the outside and the tender filling was the perfect foil.
Things just got better with a bowl of barely-cooked, thinly sliced octopus. Minus one suction cup at the very top, the slices were smooth and clean so it was hard to tell that it was octopus at all. Each piece was super tender and lightly dressed so the flavor of the seafood really came through. We were pretty happy at this point, but oddly getting kind of full.
Here’s where things started to go downhill, at least for me. No, the quality of the food didn’t fade (save for one soy-paper roll that was just inedibly soggy- we left it). Our sushi was all fresh, the toro was the best I’d ever had, the sweet shrimp succulent and tender. The problem was Tojo. Smiling, beaming Tojo. What could I possibly have against this sushi master? Here it is- his constant banter about what a sushi master he truly is. Between each course he couldn’t help but mention how people travel from far and wide to eat his food. Oh yes, he was on “No Reservations” of course. Isn’t this the best (fill in the blank) you’ve ever eaten? “Tojo’s food is the best! Tojo creates dishes like no other!” Look- I can appreciate when people have pride in their work, but this was too much. I started to feel obligated to give some over-the-top reaction and roll my eyes back in ecstasy every time I took a bite of something.
The real bummer came with this story that he not only told in detail but actually kind of acted out. He told us about one of his regular customers who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The customer called Tojo and said he wanted to eat his last meal at Tojo’s, so of course Tojo complied. Tojo then looks at me and Jesse, pretends to be this dying guy and motions with his hand like he’s picking up a piece of sushi, slowly brings it to his lips, puts this pretend sushi in his mouth, closes his eyes, sighs, then says “I can now die a happy man.” He then followed with “A LOT of people want to eat their last meal at Tojo’s.”
For the love of God, if someone is THAT good at what they do, is there any need to constantly run around telling everyone? It didn’t bother Jesse as much, but being Japanese I was stunned to witness such bravado from a fellow countryman. The melodramatic reenactment of this man’s last meal was enough to make that one meal at Tojo’s MY last meal there as well. I mean, what would Bourdain say? I guess I’d like to hope that he have a sarcastic comment up his sleeve for this sort of behavior but then again he’d probably tell a no name blogger (aka ME) that everyone has their quirks and the guy can cook so who cares?
For the record, the meal was the most expensive I’ve ever had at any restaurant- sushi or otherwise- other than Urasawa. No joke. Yes, the food was good, but certainly not worth the price. Nor the commentary.
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| Added May 11, 2008 by ntousi of burnaby (5 Reviews) Nice designed restaurant, good food but poor service
I went there a few months ago with other 8 people. We enjoyed the dishes, the overall environment. However the service was poor. too many chefs in the kitchen (it's open kitchen) probably that's why the dishes are over-priced. I have read about Tojo, the Chef, before going there but overall I disappointed, I was expecting a lot more. Good for one time experience only, not a place to go regularly. |
| Added Apr 22, 2008 by vancouverpiggie of burnaby (34 Reviews) A Fake
Over-rated, lying bunch of greedy restaurant entrepreneurs who are only out there to make money.
The food is definitely not fine-dining level at I do not think I had food quality that matched my bill of $600.
The portions are extremely small, which is something that represents fine-dining level. A pass here.
The fish was not the freshest - in fact one of the rock cod sashimis had a funny smell so we returned it and got something else. The only part that seemed to be alright was the salmon, but even that part I could taste it is not wild or organic, just your mediocre salmon bought in bulk.
The meat dishes really sucked. The next time I spend $25 on a teriyaki dish will be when I see cows-flying.
I ordered about 6 omakases for my guests and all of them seemed to be a little inconsistent. One of the dishes had flower petals - edible ones - while five of them did not. I asked the server if the chef had forgotten about it and the server said each omakase is different...weird.
Service was extremely slow and snobbish. With $600 worth of a bill, I expected my party to be treated like royalties. Instead I get impatient servers who think pigs should just order and shut up.
The atmosphere was stuffy and everyone did not seem to be into anything. Food was not at level with $600 bill.
I was so fed up that I did not even want to tip them but seeing how I do not want anyone chasing after me after I left the restaurant - thinking that they might because the tip is 15% of the bill - I tipped in the end.
Do not come here because you'll regret it. |
| Added Apr 22, 2008 by lovingfood of Kerrisdale (72 Reviews) mediocre food with PR machine
Food: I can make better sushi rice than those idiots. There's not a lot of varieties of fish. It's not like southern California, sushi is so good there with all kinds of fish. The menu and ingredients are quite limited Sashimi is so so, not the best sashimi I ever had, certainly not that price. I had much better sashimi but much cheaper and better decor and better service in the States. Why is Tojo so expensive then? They spent all the money on PR and advertising. It's just a hype.
Service: It was so slow. It's a joke. When you pay a lot of money (fine dining price), you really expect good service. I don't care the restaurant is busy or not, if you charge people fine dining price, you need to hire more waiters to keep the service prompted. They want you to pay lots money and not being a cheapo, but they are acting like cheapos themselves. Ya,that's really classy.
Ambiance: Whatever. The decor doesn't look like a fine dining restaurant to me.
These days, with the popularity of food TV, a lot of restaurants got their PR time on TV. They sure turn around and try to sell themselves as some expensive big deal. In fact, it's just a hype like mother used to say "Don't believe TV advertisement." Having a segment on TV is a different form of advertisement. The 30 seconds commercial spot lets you know it's an advertisement already. The TV segment (they can get it from paying the producer or hook up with the producer) is a more subtle advertisement. You think it's show producers' research and point of view. It can be bought. In fact, a lot of them pay for their TV segments. |
| Added Mar 4, 2008 by Chiba of San Francisco (1 Reviews) Tojo is laughing on his website. At us.
We got the omakase.
Want to know something counterintuitive? An old wine doesn't necessarily mean a good wine. Want to know something else? Good sushi is not about the fish.
It's about the rice. Yes, the rice. The little white specks of not so nutritional grains that Asian people seem to think is the cat's whiskers. Fish obviously plays a role, nobody is going to think that the best sushi rice in the world topped with canned tuna on sale at Costco is so delicious, if the apple in the Book of Genesis tasted like it, you really wouldn't blame Eve.
Tojo's rice is bland, mushy, and on par with a generic all you can eat sushi restaurant that litter first world nations today. With that mediocre rice, the sushi chefs haphazardly create nigiri that fell apart as I tried to eat it (no, I am not the boxer that defeated Foreman in The Rumble in the Jungle), and rolls that have rice as uneven as an emo kid's haircut and cut as straight as the Fab Five on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
And what kind of self-respecting, "high end" sushi restaurant doesn't even use real wasabi? Tojo, dyed horseradish != wasabi!
His "original" rolls are probably original, but then again a five year old can piece together ingredients from a walk-in, name it something funny, and proclaim it as sushi. That's what Tojo does.
On his website, Tojo says he has 2,000 recipes in his head. Virtually all must be worthless, for our final dish was... a Rainbow Roll.
For all the sushi fans out there who think this is real sushi, stop. This is not real sushi, or even good food. Take a trip to Tokyo and dine at Umi in Aoyama, or Kyube in Ginza, and see how it's done. |
| Added Feb 22, 2008 by djdining of New York (1 Reviews) Disappointed with Tojo
A party of 6 of us was served by a waiter who obviously had serious confrontational attitude and lack of respect for his customer. We left feeling disgusted and cheated that we wasted 2 hours eating 5 dish of incomplete omakase that cost $80. Why would an omakase not include sashimi, soup, meat or rice but contains 4 cooked fish dishes and 1 cone of sushi. We did get a pre made sushi platter after complaining that we did not receive nigiri sushi. Which restaurant makes pre made sushi platter ?
I have been to Tojo 3 times, twice at the old location, the new location after watching Anthony Bourdains show but its our last.
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| Added Feb 3, 2008 by northshoregirl of north vancouver (1 Reviews) Terribly disappointed
I had heard so many rave reviews about this restaurant. So, given our taste for sushi, I decided that this would be a fabulous place to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday. We decided it would be fun to get a big group us to go together. In total we had a party of 15. I had called over a month in advance to make a reservation and reconfirmed early in the week. Everything was set and Tojo's staff seemed friendly and accommodating. We were set to order the omokase.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. FOOD IS VERY GOOD AND FRESH BUT THAT’S IT. THIS PLACE IS ALL HYPE...TOJO SHOULD BE EMBARASSED
Drinks were terribly slow in arriving and completely forgotten in a number of instances. Food took so long in coming that people were leaving to go and buy food elsewhere on Broadway. We were so hungry, people were "weak"...and I am not kidding. For $110 a person we were expecting not only a bit more food better service and QUICKER. We did not receive our bill until 11:30!! That’s 4 hours in the restaurant and 3 hours from the time of ordering. I understand we were a large group but there was another large birthday group (12) that came in around 8:30 and was gone about an hour before us.
An important thing to note here as well...with the omakase (chef's tasting menu) they ask preferences and allergies. What a joke. One of our group did not want raw..First thing she got was raw. I am celiac (no wheat...which tends to be in a lot of bottled sauces like soy ). Guess who was sick about 2 hours after the meal. So if you have allergies or preferences, do not expect this "fine dining" restaurant to care.
The people in our group were so angry. The bill came to $1650 and the average cost per couple was $225 (included drinks). That’s a fair chunk of change in my world. I had to throw done $300 just to make sure a respectable tip was left...who wants to tip for crappy service.
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| Added Jan 5, 2008 by lamy of Vancouver (3 Reviews) Below expectation
This has been famed the best sushi restaurant in vancouver and its website suggests that some think it is possibly the best in north america -I think that this is definitely over-exaggeration.
THE FOOD: overall, pretty good, but I wouldn't think it worths the price it charges as I have had better sushi elsewhere (in richmond) which serves similar quality for a lot less.
The omakase menu had some good dishes (e.g. the prawn with stuffed fish, the dungeon crab roll and the sesame pudding). but everything else, including the sablefish, was only slightly above average, i.e. not amazing. We also ordered bluefin toro nigiri sushi and sake (wild salmon) sushi separately. I liked the toro and my sister liked the sake one although I think both of them are, again, just slightly above average.
SERVICE was a bit patchy. Our server greeted us with a very loud voice and he had not-so-funny jokes at random times during our meal. But we were given a free dessert, so that was a nice jesture.
AMBIENCE was as expected (after reading the reviews), very poor indeed. Not romantic, not trendy. It might try to have a traditional Japanese flair to it, but it fails quite miserably on that -it just had a very worn out look, especially with its sofa / chair colours.
So, all in all, I would go again if I want to go for some Jap food with assured quality, although I would not set my expectations too high again. Perhaps for that price, I ought to go somewhere else for new adventures. |
| Added Nov 16, 2007 by kaykat of vancouver (5 Reviews) Above average, but a bit disappointing
This is one of those much raved-about places that I've wanted to try for years, but never made it to until recently. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed.
The food was good, but no better than some of the other top Japanese places in town. The space was also larger and more open than I expected, and it seemed to lack any intimacy. It almost felt mass-produced, rather than a special dining experience where they pay attention to all the details, which is what I was expecting. I personally have preferred both Yoshi's and Octopus Garden to this place.
That said, I went with the Omakase (where you pick a price point, tell them what you like, and they just bring you things). I generally liked all of the selections, but I may have enjoyed the overall experience more if I'd chosen specific items from the menu. |
| Added Nov 5, 2007 by cmin of vancouver (7 Reviews) Good but a bit too pricey
My first time at Tojo's after hearing all the hype -
First off - there is no disputing the quality of the food. Defintely fresh, meticulous presentation. And for the $80 chef's special set menu, I was sufficiently full aftewards despite being a bit worried at the outset because each plate of food is so tiny. But the customization of the dishes to our individual tastes was well done.
However, the service and atmosphere is where I'd give lower ratings. The service was a tad disorganized, as the transition from sitting at the bar to our table was not handled smoothly. At the table, our waiter was pleasant, but tough to track down when we needed him (and the point is, you shouldn't 'need him' - he should be around enough to take care of you). The decor was average - the open kitchen layout was nice, but you could view must of the 'mess behind the counter' so to speak. All in all, the atmosphere was not high-end calibur. |
| Added Nov 3, 2007 by lat49long123 of kits (10 Reviews) What's in a name?
You expect the best, and you are certainly paying for it, 2+ times more than any other Sushi place in town I'd say. Lets start with the interior, the old location was nothing more than a shack, the new one, is quite modern, comfortable, but not really the wow factor I expected for The Sushi Man in town. I was expecting modern, west coast, japanese, but it seems more like an modern airport bar.
The food-high quality, careful preparation, fresh and can not be questioned. I feel like I can get comparable quality sushi at Okada or Yugi's for 1/2 price or less.
The vibe - the well heeled, the expense accounters and the curious or special occassioners. You'd have to have deep pockets for this to be your neighbourhood sushi joint or take out place.
The service- well, not traditional japanese, that's for sure.
Overall, it was very good sushi but I felt like I could have had the same quality food and as enjoyable experience elsewhere for far less $$
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| Added Oct 19, 2007 by gourmet152 of vancouver (9 Reviews) Another Hit!
This would not be our first time to Tojo's. Their quality of freshness is hands down second to none in the city! I'm the biggest fan of tuna toro nigiri sashimi. What can I say? Tojo's offers the most succulent cuts I've ever tasted. We were entertaining out-of-town guests to their omakase. This is a must try for any special occassion. I will point out that not all the dishes were big hits in this tasting menu, but definately well crafted. Their premium sake was absolutely wonderful and very aromatic. Overall, if you want fresh and creative dishes in Japanese cuisine, then book your next reservation here. Just don't expect them to serve you typical sushi rolls, cause they're capable of so much more! |
| Added Oct 13, 2007 by bitemebaby of Kitsilano (7 Reviews) Give me a break: Tojo's sucks
I finally went to Tojo's last night for the first time. I have lived in Kits for about 20 years and I have heard that the food here was excellent. I had a wide sampling of the menu (not the Omikase) but Tuna Sushi Tataki, Agedashi Tofu, Gomae, Sablefish, Magnum PI roll, etc. The food was definitely good ... BUT ... not for the price. The portions were pitiful (my wifes dynamite roll had four small peces and it was $12). I am normally happy to blow $150+ on a meal for two at Bin 942 or Vij's because he food and the experience are awesome. Tojo's was crap ... plain and simple starting at the door. We sat in the bar on these cheap leather seats and waited for 15 minutes ... past our reservation time. I sipped on a $14 Grey Gose martini (easily $2 over what it should have cost). When we were finally seated ... our server was annoying and had a really "canned japanese" schtick. Yeah ha ha ... get me my beer please. Half of our our food literally arrived in about 5 minutes. It was way too fast. It threw our whole meal out of tempo ... there was no tme to sit and chat with apps arriving. Some mains arrived, then apps, then mains ... and above all we had to wait for booze. How can a restaurant that is so diorganized stay in business? Okay back to my scathing review. The decor is brutal ... cold grey tones and high ceilings. It actually feels opressive for a Japanese restaurant which should be closed in and warmer (try finding 20 foot ceilings in Tokyo). The borthday singing was the only thing that made me smile ... at least even Japanese waiters can't sing karaoke. In the end ... if you want to spend a ridiulous amount of money for bad service, cld ambiance and acceptable food ... head to Tojo's. If you want to get your moneys worth ... go elsewhere (Bin 942 and Vij's are about two blocks away each and way higher on the scale). |
| Added Sep 2, 2007 by Jefferson of Vancouver (4 Reviews) Tojo ruined all sushi for me.
I went to Tojo's with my fiancee for an expected fabulous dinner. We were not let down.
The seafood was the freshest I've ever had other than getting fish straight from the boat. We went for the Omakase at the bar and let Master Chef Tojo take control of the experience. What a great time. Everything was absolute top quality.
The service was...very attentive. Almost too much though. That really is the worst of the whole experience. Not much to complain about I guess.
Although the meal was pricey, $350.00 for two, which did include saki and a very decent tip, I would do it again. You get what you pay for.
Any other sushi does not compare.
Domo arigato Tojo-san!!! |
| Added Aug 29, 2007 by sage_mom of Port Moody, BC (8 Reviews) Out of this world Japanese cuisine
Dining here was truly an experience of a lifetime. We had the Omakase at the sushi bar - frankly, the only way to go at Tojo's. We can't afford to dine here often, so we might as well have the best they can offer.
First of all, Tojo himself welcomed us as we sat and asked about our meal preferences. I specifically told him I was up for anything EXCEPT octopus, as I find them too rubbery. Tojo says, "well then you haven't tried mine". So what does Tojo do? He makes me an octopus dish and reluctantly, I ate it. Wow - it was so smooth and soft. As for the rest of the dishes, each one unique and delicious. You cannot even compare it to other Japanese restaurants, because it's not the same kind of food! There was no generic sushi or teriyaki in sight, only gourmet, one-of-a-kind creations.
I could never do justice to the food by describing it. You just have to go there yourself, be adventurous and put yourself in the very capable hands of the master, Tojo. Also, save up for it first. Food like this doesn't come cheap. |
| Added Aug 27, 2007 by PinkTink of Richmond (9 Reviews) Overpriced and Over-Rated
I was very disappointed at Tojo's. We went to go try it since we heard so many rave reviews and was gravely disappointed. The service was poor, the pricing was ridiculous and the food was nothing special. Their sushi rolls were anrexic and tiny. Even sushi from a food court is better. Their chef recommendations were mediocre. Something you could get at Hon's. Service was horrible. It's like they hire snobs just so you'll order more cuz nothing seems to be good enough. We ordered 5 dishes between 2 people and the waiter still tried to pressure us into ordering more. When the food came out, we understood why. Each serving was meant for a toddler. We're not big eaters either and at the end of the meal we were just so disappointed we didn't even wanna bother with the desert. If you go there, you're really just going for the decor, definitely not the food. |
| Added Aug 16, 2007 by themachine of Vancouver (2 Reviews) Really Bad Service
Although the woman who was bussing was quite friendly (not very helpful, but friendly) our waiter was incredibly rude. He kept us waiting for no apparent reason, communicating with me via hand gestures when I tried to get his attention. He treated us badly when serving us, and when we asked to cancel our orders and leave (as a result of the restaurant being out of what I wanted to order - what sushi restaurant runs out of tuna?) he laughed at me and said that he'd already put our orders in and we couldn't leave. Eventually we got out of there. I would go back just to see what the fuss with the food is about but I'm not expecting much. $65 tuna sashimi would have to be pretty amazing. |
| Added Aug 14, 2007 by bunnyhop of Vancouver (4 Reviews) Too expensive, way overrated
People gush endlessly about Tojo's, but it's not all it's hyped up to be. Prices are ridiculously high for the value of food and service. For what I'm paying, I expect impeccable service and tremendous dishes. Instead, I was left disappointed in every way. I would NOT recommend Tojo's for anyone. |
| Added Jun 27, 2007 by scyeh of vancouver (1 Reviews) ok food, terrible service
I took my friends from NYC to tojo's on monday night for dinner, and we had $80 set menu for each person. I was going to order some sake to share with one of my friends, and was browsing their wine list, yet everything was too expensive, finally, I ordered one for $18, and the waiter immediately gave me a bad look, it's like I ordered the cheapest one on the list. When the first dish came, we were told it was fish, and when we wanted to know more about that dish, like what kind fish it was, the waiter said: find out yourself, I am not going to tell you. We thought he was joking,and was trying to ask him more, then he left without saying a word. Same thing happened again on the remaining dishes. We had to ask the waiter for what we were getting, but it seemed that the wait staff was really lack of training, and had really really bad attitudes. Finally, after we paid the bill, I went over to talk to Mr. Tojo, and told him we were totally not happy with their service. He seemed to be surprised when I told him about this, but, hey, we paid $100 per person, and this was what we got from so called top rated japanese restaurant in town, I think this is totally rediculous. I have been to so many fancy restaurants in my life, and this is the first time I really had to complain about the service to the owner.
In conclusion, I totally agree with other people here: ok food, but over priced, and terrible service. |
| Added Jun 10, 2007 by JHC of vancouver (2 Reviews) Disappointment
After hearing all the rave reviews we finally went to Tojo's. Lets start with the good. The Sashimi was some of the best i've had. Very fresh but for the price I was paying it had better be. Now for the bad. We ordered some chicken Teriyaki, the grilled halibut, spider rolls and spicy tuna rolls all of them were rather bland and average. You can get the same quality from other restaurants for half the price. I was expecting much better for a so called "fine dining" restuarant. To top it off we ordered the Shrimp Tempura for I think $22+ or so. It came out soggy!!! Not to mention we only got about 5 shrimps! Even my local cheap sushi place will have crispy tempura for less than half the price!
The service was sub par as well, very slow and not very attentive!
The sashimi was excellent but give me a break there is little preparation involved with sashimi. They just have to pay through the nose to get quality fish that is really fresh. So I can't give them too much credit for that! Any restaurant can have good sashimi if they are willing to pay the price for top quality fish.
So in conclusion good sashimi, everything else is sub par and over priced!
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| Added Jun 9, 2007 by barron797 of Vancouver (3 Reviews) Overrated and Over priced
I have to agree with fella - I don't understand what the fuss is all about. Its good food and you can be assured the quality is tops but its a little over priced. Expect to pay $17.00 for a spicy tuna roll. And it isn't even spicy! I find the menu selection to be quite limited and its not soooo good that the premium you pay for the sushi is really worth it.
I'm a lot happier dining at Yoshi's and its far cheaper. Yoshi would be my pick for best Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, not Tojo's. |
| Added Feb 8, 2007 by vonantal of Vancouver (1 Reviews) The good, the bad, but not the ugly
My wife and I went to this restaurant twice in the last couple of weeks. The service was quite good the first time, but very poor the second time. The food was excellent both times. The price was high for what is definintely not a fine-dining establishment, with fairly cheap-looking seating, tables and decor.
Given the prices and Tojo's reputation, one would have thought that more emphasis would be placed on excellent service, ambiance, and food. My wife had to wait over 30 minutes for her drink, sparkling water, and it took at least four requests to finally get the water delivered.
Reservations are also a problem, and both times it seemed like people being seated in no particular order of arrival, regardless of whether they had a reservation or not. The first time, we were seated before a couple that had an earlier reservation and, the second time, I had to point out to the hostess that I had seen people who were just walking in off the street were being seated, while we were still waiting for a table after 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. We were then promptly seated in a very unattractive corner, even though I had been assured that we were going to be given a "nice table".
On the plus side, you have to try the cold sake in the bamboo container, it is awesome, as is the food. Balancing it all out, the restaurant is pricey for what you get, though I would still go back. |
| Added Jan 27, 2007 by winenut of Vancouver (6 Reviews) Good food but what happened to ther service?
The décor in Tojo’s new location was very Zen, tasteful, but a little cold, both in terms of temperature and atmosphere. We had the omakase at the sushi bar which was an experience in its own. If you’re not familiar with Tojo’s omakase, they charge based on a sliding scale. If you stop after 5 courses, it’s one price, if you keep going, it’s another price and the sky’s the limit depending on how much you eat. My wife and I were both very hungry and as a result, our meals cost $170 each not including drinks. Chef Tojo sources some of the best ingredients in Vancouver and therefore their sashimi and seafood is top notch. Where they fell apart was in the service and atmosphere. First, the server never came once to refill our tea and sakes. Secondly, my wife requested for no shellfish, and lo and behold one of our courses was fresh oysters in the half shell. Third, after the 5th or 6th course, the server started to ask us whether we wanted to “keep going” (i.e. have more food), but he does this on every subsequent course which becomes extremely annoying, almost feels like I’m begging for food. You have to give Chef Tojo credit for bringing fusion Japanese to the mainstream in Vancouver, but for some reason, I just don’t feel welcome when I’m eating at his restaurant, maybe it’s his demeanor, or the service, or a bit of both. |
| Added Jan 27, 2007 by tinaJ of West Van (4 Reviews) Tojo knows what's best
Ask for the chef's special creation and you will not be dissapointed. Of course it is a bit pricy but what do you expect with such fresh ingrediants and inovative design. Eat slow or you'll lose the experience. Marinated tuna is the best. The servers will tell you what to put sauce on and what to eat plain. I guess we non-japanese drench all our sushi with soy sauce and wasabi. Hey call me old fashion but the plain sushi still tasted better with a little soy and wasabi. The variety was incredible. Too bad I can't pronounce most of the items otherwise I would definitely be looking for a cheaper substitute elsewhere. This is a special occasions place for sure. |
| Added Oct 6, 2006 by chefdave of Downtown (58 Reviews) You get what you pay for
Before you go to Tojos remember one thing. You get what you pay for. If you're looking for a deal, then go to All You Can Eat Japanese place. If you;re looking for quality then Tojos is your place. Probably the freshest sashimi around and definately the nicest cuts of tuna including Hamachi. Of course the price is expensive, party of 4 with 2 drinks each was $300.00 or $75.00. Great good and service ! |
| Added Aug 20, 2006 by bobo of vancouver (48 Reviews) Disappointed
There were 6 of us. We all went with the $80 chef special. The special included 5 dishes and a dessert.
The first dish was a tuna/blue fin tuna salad. The tuna was raw. The dish was very fresh and tasty though the sauce (soy sauce?) was too salty. Unfortunately, this is where the good food ended.
The second course was Pacific cod salad with sesame sauce. The cod was cooked. This dish was very bland. The sauce didn't taste like sesame and was bland too.
The third and fourth courses were grilled salmon steak and grilled halibut cheek. Both were overcooked. Following this was a plate of sushi & nigiri. The raw seafood on the nigiri were all very dry, which was odd. Can't say they didn't taste fresh but the lack of moisture made us think it's been sitting there for a while. The last course was a pineapple yogurt dessert which was unremarkable.
The dishes were all tiny and poor value for money. No one in our group enjoyed the meal and wanted to return. |
| Added Aug 13, 2006 by sgtoca of Kitsilano, Vancouver (85 Reviews) A good experience
Can't say if this place can be a regular dinner venue as it was definitely steep but for special occasions or to impress your guests, it does not get better. My spouse had the Omakase and loved it, I had the ala carte as I wanted to have their Northern Light Roll and Tojo's Tuna and they were both spectacular. The tuna was melt in your mouth and the sauce not too sweet. Their Omakase (chef's creations so no ala carte) range from $60 to No Limit. Our server was attentive, thank god we got him as there were some rather strange servers around, see for yourself. One Japanese kid was kind loud for no reason at all and he was trying to be obnoxious but failed miserably, hard to explain. It was a great experience but not life changing. Unique rolls and seafood but was it worth the kind of prices charged ($21 for Tempura, $7 for Agedashi Tofu), I didn't think so. The room also looked dated, one would think for the kind of prices charged, Tojo would kick the decor up a notch. Having said this, I would return, but only for a really special occasion or if someone else is buying. For 2, our dinner came to $144 which included the following:
1. 2 beers and 1 sake
2. 2 rolls
3. Agedashi Tofu
4. Omakase at $60 pp
5. Small order of Tojo's Tuna |
| Added Aug 13, 2006 by msturdev of Fairview, Vancouver (6 Reviews) Go for the food
Absolutely the best sushi/seafood I've ever had. I took my husband for our anniversary and we both had the $80 chef's menu. They bring out course after course of the freshest and tastiest seafood followed by a giant plate of sushi rolls and nigiri. The decor isn't anything special, nor is the service (I had a post-it note with the number "1" stuck to my hand as I went in and had to wait despite having reservations). Looking at other diner's meals, I would probably get the $60 menu next time, but there will be a next time! |
| Added May 8, 2006 by fella of Vancouver (72 Reviews) Not sure I get it
I’m not really sure what the fuss is about with this high priced sushi joint.
We went with the suggested $80 tasting menu which consisted of 5 high quality, but very small dishes; the sablefish being the only one to really catch my attention. The food was very good, but with a less than fair value. The place settings were that of a all you can eat restaurant, with cheap glass wear, chopsticks and paper napkins. This is certainly not a fancy spot, but then it’s not supposed to be. The service was attentive, knowledgeable and very friendly. In all fairness, the food was very good, but could be found at other sushi rooms in town for far less$$.
I am confident that for $150 a head, you could dine at any restaurant you choose in town.
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| Added May 8, 2006 by thecritic of East Side (173 Reviews) Its all downhill from 30
After striking out a half a dozen times trying to get a reservation for a party of 12 to celebrate my birthday, we finally settled on Tojo's. Many places would not give a reservation between 6 and 9, some couldn't accomodate a party that size, some were already reserved. Tojo's wanted a credit card to ensure we showed up and would charge $200 if we didn't which was an interesting policy but we agreed since we were having difficulty find a place to accomodate us.
Everyone settled on the $80 Omakase menu where Tojo himself selects each dish. The cooked dishes were all very good, especially the sablefish. The sushi items were less than stellar although there was a tasty scallop roll that had interesting flavours.
The service was very good overall. Drinks were always full and dishes were explained in detail, almost too much information. There were some gaps in food delivery between each course which was a little bothersome especially since most at the table were starving.
Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience at Tojo's. My biggest complaint would be the low overall value; I would definately not order the Omakase option again. I have dined here previously and ordered a la carte and left much more satisfied and heavier in the wallet. |
| Added Apr 13, 2006 by skg of vancouver (1 Reviews) Good sushi, lousy service
We managed to get a table without a reservation but immediately felt unwelcomed by the staff. We gave them the benefit of the doubt since it was busy. The sushi was fresh, innovative and delicious. The problem came when our Sri Lankan (?) waiter miscalculated on the bill and wanted our credit card back to add a 1 cent charge. That's right! 1 penny. He got confrontational when I told him I would just take the penny out of his tip. Needless to say, I didn't leave him much of a tip. |
| Added Mar 12, 2006 by foodi of Burnaby, BC (12 Reviews) Tojo is still the best
I've been to Tojos four times, and had great but differing experience everytime. Note that I give four stars for food rating; that's because Tojo is inconsistent in that most times the food will be very very good, and a few times it will be to die for. When the food is to die for, it is worth every penny. When the food is very very good, it is also worth every penny, but the value diminishes greatly. The value really depends on the customers bias of the dishes. Anyway, there are no other Japanese restaurants in BC that can make food as good and as consistent as Tojo's.
The service is always excellent, and there was at least one waiter who constantly wait on my table everytime. If you want to get all your money's worth, then do the omakase. It is the only way you'll get the best of your money at Tojo's as ala carte is on a hit and miss basis. The quality of the ala carte dishes depends on customer's preference and luck as there are so many different style and taste on the menu. |
| Added Dec 28, 2005 by vancouverdiner of Vancouver (1 Reviews) Service Sucked
The food was very good alright but way overpriced. The place was moderately busy but not jammed but still service just sucked. Huge delays (eg 40 mins) between courses w no explanation. Had to ask repeatedly for a glass of water or to get some extra chopsticks. At $100 each they ought to be taking care of your every need. We actually had to get up and chase down the waiter to find out what was happening. A really disappointing experience for me and for my out of town guests. I don't plan on going back or on recommending Tojo's, thus this post. Happy dining all. |
| Added Dec 5, 2005 by narg of West Van (2 Reviews) Excellent food
I love Tojo's. He truly does serve the best sushi in the city. The flavours are always clean, simple and very fresh. My only quibble is that I think the overall ambiance would benefit greatly from an update or renovation to the interior. Either way, I will always look forward to going back. |
| Added Nov 8, 2005 by amuro of Vancouver (12 Reviews) Omakase! I'm in your hand's Tojo-san!
The only way to go at Tojo's is Omakase. Let Tojo make a meal catered to your favorites and be sure to mention what you don't like! He'll create a unique 5 or 6 course meal for your that includes a couple appetizers, two major entree style dishes, and an amazing dessert! Each time its very different (especially if you visit in different seasons). Also you must try the Bacon-Wrapped, Shrimp cooked Beef Rolls (name escapes me)... they are morsel of pure heaven (hell for the heart).
Also Tojo's cold Sake selection is good especially enjoyable served in a chilled bamboo serving set! Sure its expensive, but its worth every penny. |
| Added Aug 26, 2005 by foodfanatic of South Vancouver (295 Reviews) Superb! Never disappointing!
Creamy fresh fish. Toro is melt-in-your mouth juicy! Perfect temperature for the raw fish. Always fresh, except maybe the occassional prawn that doesn't seem AS fresh or as sweet as it should be. Service is flawless, friendly, perfect! Deserving of every last bit of a generous tip! They make the bluefin tuna worth every penny! Or tens of dollars, rather... From food to service, I have no quarrel, except that hopefully, there will be more cooked creations I would lovvvve to try that's prepared by Tojo and his staff. But for the raw variety, this is the best! For more cooked/raw variety, go for the chef creation in the higher price range of the options given. |
| Added Aug 22, 2005 by sundesker of Long Beach, CA (1 Reviews) Amazing food, equally amazing price
Look, I loved dining at Tojo's. The food and service were world class. Ultra fresh fish, great preparation, wonderful presentation and terrific service. So why 3 stars from me? The check. At $225 for one, that is really beyond the pale in the price department. And at that price, I expect a meal that is nearly one-of-a-kind on the Earth. Tojo's was outstanding in every normal respect, but not far enough "out there" to justify the price. Better overall experiences can be found at places like the French Laundry in Napa or the Inn at Little Washington in VA, Le Bec Fin in Philly, Aureole in NYC and others for about $150/head, including wine. I recommend eating at Tojo's once. But only once. After that, spend your hard earned fine dining dollars elsewhere. |
| Added Jun 21, 2005 by 2pogi4u of Richmond (6 Reviews) Too good to be true...
Truly the best Japanese food I have had in my life...I celebrated my birthday there and it was favorite birthday meal ever! The service was excellent and you feel very special when you're there. I had plenty of fun looking at past patrons at the restaurant. It's been a very popular restaurant for many visiting celebrities, musicians, and movie stars. Its worth every dollar and its more than a meal, its an experience! |
| Added Dec 22, 2004 by Miles of Kitsilano (27 Reviews) Mucho Mojo Tojo
Ordered chef Tojo's special combo. You don't choose the items, just a price point and off you go. I've never eaten cooked fish as perfect as the black cod that arrived at our table.
My only complaint with the dining experience was that I expected a sampling of many different flavors. Most cooked dishes we recieved came with savory mushrooms, however, they lost their lustre round after round. The overall quality is exceptional however. Next time I will order a la carte. |
| Added Dec 13, 2004 by Ho in the Wall of Main St. (16 Reviews) Domo Arigato Mr Tojo!
Tojo is reknown in Vancouver as the best place for Japanese cuisine - but i've always been a little suspicious of that because the reputation started when there was hardly any of Japanese food in Vancouver. I was expecting an old school place with shoji screens and real crab california rolls at most. To my surprise, the place was like a casual diner with mood lighting, replete with tacky celebrity autographs on the wall (a bad sign in restaurants. re: Settebellos on Robson). Right away, I was greeted by a funky fellow that had crazy hair like a character from Dragon Ball, who kept making jokes that seemed funny but i couldn't understand what he was saying half of the time. Something like "....but my wife...ramen in Japan...quality bigger and better..." Everytime he walked away, i expected arcade sounds like when Donkey Kong throws the barrel.
About the food, we went for the $50 and $75 chef suggestion which is a great way to try something new and also sample a little bit of everything. I don't know which of these the seared black cod was for but it was a bite worth paying for. I have never in my life savoured cooked fish like that buttery morsel. i wanted to roll it around my tongue until the end of time. If anything, the most disappointing part of the meal was the last entree, a plate of their assorted tojo sushi. They're all pretty original with spinach and whatnot rolled delicately together. However, I found the sashimi and sushi a little on the dry side. Perhaps because i was still reeling from the unique earthmoving experience of the dishes beforehand. Anyways, the service is great - quirky yet quick. I would highly recommend this place if you want to spend a little more dollars for a memorable Japanese food experience. |
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