Best sushi restaurants in Montreal?

[Cole Tucker]

Dear Folks,

I have guests from out of town and would like to take them out for sushi.

I don't enjoy Koji Kaizen and when I ask friends about other places seems that no one agrees on the best place!

Also unfortunately one of guests does not eat sushi (CAN YOU BELEIVE IT) but she does love chicken teriyaki. Your help would be appreciated.

By the way anyone ever tried Sushi Miyako on Amherst, some of my friends are raving about it?

[miss d]

why don't you try isakaya on parc @ prince arthur

it's a cute little japanese bistro, family-run (the ones responsible for katsura's fame back in the day )

they have this special menu, only in japanese that treasures the most un-generic delicacies. mr. minegawa would be more than happy to help with your selections if japanese isn't your forte. i'm sure they whip up pretty tasty chicken teriyaki too for your particular friend.

[Lesley C]

Mikado, Laurier.

[Walnuts]

Mikado is great. I also like Mikasa on L'Acadie and Sauvé. A bit out of the way, but definitely worth it. They have one downtown as well on Peel, but I have been told by friends that it is not as good their other location.

[thomasein]

You didn't mention budget. If you are willing to spend a bit more try Zen Ya, it is located on Ste. Catherine O. next to the Parisian theatre. The sushi is very good (though not as good as Shodan, say) but they have an excellent selection of cooked dishes. Some of the cooked appetizers are excellent and I have had friends (who inexplicably also do do love sushi) who very much enjoyed the teriyaki dishes.

incidentally, the decor is very dramatic.

p.s. if budget is an issue try Isakaya on Parc ave.

[ABG]

Sho-Dan on Metcalfe, not Rene Levesque.

[jokhm]

If you are planning to be in the West-Island, try out Soho on St. Jeans. I've always been impressed with the freshness of their ingredients. Certain rolls are on the small side, but overall it is amazingly consistent. Places like Kaizen usually disappoint me. It shouldn't, but I've now had my share of unfresh fish filling the gigantic Kaizen rolls. Usually bigger is better. I also love Mikado. Can't ever go wrong there.

[Cole Tucker]

Dear Posters, thank you kindly for your great help.

I went to Mikado on St-Denis this past Sat and it was fantastic. Food was fresh & great, service fine and all my guests greatly enjoyed it. Far superior than anything I have ever had a Koji. Now I need to find an excuse to go back a.s.a.p.

[Coffeeman]

I'll have to agree with the Mikado on Laurier. It's my second favorite sushi place in Montreal, next to Treehouse (which is Kaizen's sister restaurant upstairs). You won't try fresher fish anywhere. One note, it's minimalist both in terms of decor and in their experimentation in makis, which suits my taste fine. However, if you like your makis freaky (i.e.: a tempura rice crispies, cream cheese, avocado and blowfish wrapped in kobe beef) then this may not be the best place. (BTW, I know that sounds gross, I just made it up to illustrate my point)

[SteveW]

Any comments on Maiko Sushi on Bernard West? Haven't been there, but would like to hear some feedback on experiences.

-Steve

[gus_tatory]

it's always busy whenever i walk by, so the fish must be fresh. it might be a bit pricey, i dunno.

the people at www.montrealfood.com review it here...

kindest regards,

gus

[jpps1]

I haven't found anyplace in Montreal with exceptional sushi, but Sho-Dan, Mikado (Laurier), and a place on Greene (whose name I don't remember) are good bets.

[foldack]

Unfortunately, the venerable and always excellent Yakata closed its doors yesterday on St. Laurent for the last time. On a positive note, the Cote des Neiges branch will stay open, since they own the place. Apparently, the rent on St. Laurent was becoming ridiculous.

[carswell]

Another one bites the dust. It's beginning to feel like the sushi boom has peaked. Hope the silver lining is that the Yakata team will focus more attention on the CDN store. After a strong start, the quality there has slid — to the point, in fact, that I'd begun to wonder whether I'd continue ordering from it. A thoroughly disappointing meal at Atami last week had me reassessing that position but, really, CDN is seeming more and more like a sushi wasteland these days.

[foldack]

Atami. That's funny. We were so pleased when Yakata open the the CDN site a few years ago. Atami used to be a good local haunt, until we both got really sick after eating there. Never went back. I know it can happen anywhere, but it's hard to drag yourself back to the same place after that.

I've found that Yakata's CDN quality has actually improved since they first opened, and now that the St. Laurent staff is there, it can only get better still. I think they started out on CDN with their "second string" crew.

Bob

[carswell]

Have you tried Masako (5050 Côte-des-Neiges between Boucherie Atlantique and Duc de Lorraine, 514 735-8118)? I bought a sushi platter from them last summer, just after they opened, and wasn't impressed. Partly in response to Nick Robinson's review on www.montrealfood.com, I decided to drop by the other evening at a quarter to nine. They were already in the process of closing for the evening, which is why I ended up at Atami. Didn't get sick from Atami's food, just found it blah, and the rice was too sweet, much as it was the previous time I ate there, four or five years ago. They were doing a land-office business, though; at 9:30, the place was packed.

I've had sushi from the take-out place on CDN just north of Queen Mary (next to the entrance to Phos) a grand total of once. Mediocre enough to dissaude me so far from trying them again.

That's the problem with sushi. It's so expensive that you're really reluctant to give disappointers a second chance.

One place on my to-do list is Matsuba (1771 Grenet in St-Laurent, 514 748-7667). A Chowhound reports that some of the staff from the late, lamented Tokiwa have resurfaced there and that the food is first rate. Tried to call in a pick-up order at a quarter to nine last Saturday and they weren't even answering their phone...

edit: fixed broken link

Edited August 3, 2004 by carswell (log)

[carswell]

Never heard back from Matsuba, so last night I decided not to call but just schlepp up to VSL. At around 8:15 I arrived at the resto, which is located in an unprepossessing strip mall on the corner of Poirier and Grenet, one block east of Laurentian Blvd. I couldn't believe my eyes: they close at 8 p.m. on Thursday–Sunday and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. What a joke! I usually don't begin even thinking about dinner until 8. If they're going to have such odd business hours, why don't they print it on their menu or mention it on their answering machine message?

Ended up doing take-out from Mikado on Monkland: excellent fish; decent rolls (a bit too new-fangled for me); problematic rice (good taste and texture but cohesion left something to be desired).

[foldack]

That Grenet/Poirier corner is a great little Cambodian strip. The best resaurant on the block burned down some time ago, but passing by on Saturday, I noticed they are just about set to open a brand new place on the next block. Very exciting.

[doronin]

What are the best sushi restaurants in Montreal these days? I guess some have closed, some new opened - what is the overall picture at beginning 2007?

I would suggest to mention if the place is more of authentic Japanese, or Asian fusion - both will be appreciated here.

[wattacetti]

Oishii Sushi on Bernard has a nice scallop sashimi and an interesting yin-yang roll. More nouveau/fusion than classic; watch for them as a backdrop for an upcoming Fido commercial. I've been hanging around here because they're unassuming (and I like their shark fin and jellyfish salad).

Maiko Sushi on Sources (Centennial strip mall) is probably the best place to try on the West Island. They're average on the classic stuff and work best if you stick with either hot plates or their specialty maki.

Original Maiko Sushi on Bernard left me very cold the last time I was there. Uninspired cooking, mechanical demotivated staff in front of and behind the counter, and way too many pussy willows as decoration. Bad day perhaps.

Sakura Gardens on Mountain is still old-school. Several people I know consider this to be "too Japanese" for their taste.

Isakaya on Park is also old-school, but fairly popular. Probably better overall for non-sushi or sashimi related articles.

There's a thread on Jun-I that I suggest you read. People are happy with it.

Mikado on Monkland does classic stuff pretty well. Didn't try any of their more modern interpretations.

Kaizen is still weird. Lots of black and blond.

Probably missed quite a few, but others will chime in. Would say that overall, we're okay but not particularly strong in sushibars. Vancouver, Toronto (and possibly Calgary) can certainly spank us on all measures.

[wizpers]

Miyako on Ahmerst, my one and only pick.

[Lesley C]

You know what's also really good is Taro on Ste-Catherine. They roll maki with soy paper and rice paper instead of nori, which gives a much cleaner taste. I also quite like Zen Ya on Ste-Catherine, through the service is frightening. Great place for lunch though, where you can sit at the bar. Me like the bento boxes.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Lesley C (log)

[foldack]

Yakata on Cote-des-Neiges has never let me down.

Bob

[ItalianFoodJunkie]

My vote for best sushi is definetly MB. It s not very popular, probably cause of location, but shingi the sushi chef, is the real thing. He sticks to japanese tradition and yet ifnds ways to be really creative. Fantastic sashimi and great rolls, very light with tasty not over filling sauces. I don t believe the restaurant has ever been reviewed, but i for sure consider it one of the best

[wattacetti]

MB as in MBmangeboire the chain that one finds on Stanley and at the airport? Or am I missing something?