i actually have not been to aoki yet, so please ignore my star rating (i chose 3 because it seems neutral).

my comments are directed at other comments here. i was just browsing to check out aoki because i plan to go there sometime soon and would like to say the following:

1. if you want to eat real sushi, eat nigiri! i have never quite understand north americans' obsession with rolls. i guess people cant really stomach raw fish that much.

2. while it is true that most sushi restaurants that are run by chinese/korean/vietnamese are not good, the fact that a sushi restaurant is run by a japanese does not mean it is automatically good either! the restaurant should be judged by its quality, period. it is simply stupid to think that just because a person is japanese he (still mostly he in the sushi industry) is automatically a good sushi chef.

3. sushi rice should NOT be cold. it should be warm because that means the rice has been recently mixed and stored properly. why on earth do you want to eat stale rice, mixed and left out in the cold (or worse, fridge) for hours???

alright. have a good day everyone!

We live in Kits on closer to the water so there are many sushi places on W. 4th that compete for our sushi dollars, but Aoki has got to be the best all around!
It is a further walk for us but way worth it in terms of the food. We ordered the S+T Combo - 4 salmon and 4 tuna nigiri which were delicious, the salmon nigiri were definitly a highlight of the meal - bright, fresh and delicous.
We also ordered an appetizer Tempura, Spicy Tuna roll and a Catepillar roll.
The tempura was good, catepillar roll was nice as well (big roll) but the spicy tuna roll was unreal! Another highlight.
Lastly the service in this place is so nice, the women working are so friendly, true japanese service. You have to love the free appetizer you get as soon as you sit down as well.
Mmmmm with the weather warming up I can't wait to go for a walk up to Aoki for another Spicy Tuna roll and Salmon nigiri....Love it!

First off, let me tell you that I lived a 15 minute walk from the Tsukiji market in Tokyo for 3 years. I know my sushi. While Sushi Aoki may not be trendy or even "nice" inside, it's clean and that's all that matters when you consider the food. All I can say is FRESH AMAZING FISH!!!!! If you want to know the true awesome-factor of this restaurant you need to get away from your California and BC Rolls, and rolls in general (not to say their rolls are bad, far from it), and get into the real stuff. Sushi Aoki has among the best saba (mackerel) and uni (sea urchin) that I've ever had. Their hamachi (yellow tail) is top-notch, and their Aji is delicious. I'll just go out and say it, they have better fish than most places that charge twice the price. If you want to get a taste of what I'm talking about try their Chirashi bowl (the regular is huge!). For 14 bucks you get what you would pay 25 for anywhere else. Their assorted sashimi plates are two-thirds the price of what anywhere else would charge and way better! Why this place doesn't have a line out the door during all their opening hours is beyond me. Aside from fish their raw oysters are incredible (1.85 each?! are you kidding me?!?!) and are a must try. I haven't gotten much in to their hot food as I'm always drawn to their raw stuff but their Prawn Gyoza are great, and their bento boxes are the biggest steal of anywhere in town. Do yourself a favour and go to this sushi restaurant! What is more, ignore any bad reviews you see as the people who wrote them were either disillusioned by bad service (it CAN at times be slow, but it's worth it!) or have absolutely NO IDEA what they are talking about. Just keep in mind, they are no longer open for lunch time. Now what are you waiting for?!

I was hungry and I would never go to Posh alone so I stopped by this tiny little Japanese place. The outer look of the place looked a bit aged so set my standards low. I walked in and was greeted by a Japanese voice machine and all the staff. Oh and the place was BUSY. I was seated immediately and was given a menu. Waited 2 minutes and they took my order; BC Roll and Chicken Yakisoba.

A small wait later, my BC Roll was served. First reaction, HOLY GEEZ thats huge! They're about twice as big as your average sushi place and they never skimped on the salmon. While I was at it, ordered some Salmon Sashimi. Yakisoba arrived and was amazed again, just right and not too salty, very close to the best. Salmon sashimi was fresh, and they only serve sockeye salmon, not the cheezy Atlantic.

Overall, one of my Favourite Japanese places. I come from Richmond every now and just to eat there. I always see the sushi chef with the little Pikachu mask, oh did I mention its REAL AUTHENTIC JAPANESE? You can hear them speaking Japanese, not Chinese or Korean. Be a little paitent if you eat though, I can take some time because they're so busy.

Aoki is one of my favourite sushi places. I love how the chef always wears that Pikachu mask. He is very friendly. It's not the greatest looking restaurant inside, but the food is fantastic. My favourite is the purple yam roll and the Pink Godzilla Roll (so big it is held together by a toothpick) and, well, a lot of rolls there I always get again and again. Their lunch boxes are also delicious.

I've only ordered take-out from here a few times, and every time I do, I am never disappointed. My absolute fave is the Pink Godzilla roll. The portion was huge and very well priced at around $7. The fruit/chicken/tuna combination was really unique and quite tasty. The person who said this was awful just doesn't know what "good" tastes like.

We were just looking for an upgrade from Kitsilano Sushi, but we really hit the jackpot with this place! I admittedly am no sushi expert but I had the best sushi I've ever had tonight at Aoki. The tuna melted in my mouth. My vegetarian boyfriend loved his rolls as well. I recommended ordering the seasonal sashimi assortment, it was really good and presented in a bowl made of solid ice. And the prices are so reasonable! This place is definitely my new favorite.

We love that the owners are Japanese. This is quite rare in the city, to have sushi made my Japanese chefs.
Prices are incredibly reasonable, and although the ambience isn't that great, the place is always clean and tidy!
The sockeye sashimi is always fresh, and the rolls are delicious. Other favorites include yaki udon and ton katsu.

Seems like lots of people who are critical of the ambiance of this place don't understand that this place is authentically japanese. This is what sushi places and many restaurants are like in Japan.
When you enter, an automatic, prerecorded "irashaimasse (welcome!)" greets you. The chef and staff also yell it to you. You're sat down, and given a free appy - last time i was in it was some baked salmon with Japanese pickles (tsukemono).
Make your choice from the illustrated menu (just like in Japan). The authentic Japanese sushi chef (not Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese...) will prepare you sushi fresh, with a smile and a joke. He wears a funny mask on his head!
As you leave, the staff and chef you thank you, and shout goodbye.
Try this place out! This is what many restaurants are like in Japan!

I love the avocada rolls which are big and fresh. I usually eat Salmon Sashimi only but not Tuna Sashimi. However, the sashimi served here are very fresh so I can eat even Tuna sashimi here. I don't remember the name of the raw fish but it was good. It was served with shredded ginger, mouth-watering.

The service was polite; they only have one waitress. The place is small but cozy. You need to make a reservation to secure a seat, especially at lunch time. The chefs and waitress will greet you when you come in and say thank you in Japanese when you leave. Definitely recommend this place to others and will return later.