J:unique kitchen in Ottawa

381 Cooper St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0G8, Canada

★★★★★
(830 reviews)
Categories: Japanese restaurant Syokudo and Teishoku restaurant Authentic Japanese restaurant Restaurant Sushi restaurant

About

Japanese restaurant, sushi, ramen

Website
juniquekitchen.com
Address
381 Cooper St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0G8, Canada
Plus Code
C883+HF Somerset, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Time Zone
America/Toronto

Business Hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Services

Service options
Outdoor seating Delivery Takeaway Dine-in
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park Wheelchair-accessible entrance Wheelchair-accessible seating
Offerings
Alcohol Beer Healthy options Small plates Vegan options Vegetarian options Wine
Dining options
Lunch Dinner Dessert Seating
Amenities
Toilets
Atmosphere
Casual Cosy
Crowd
Groups
Payments
Credit cards Debit cards NFC mobile payments Credit cards
Children
Good for kids High chairs
Parking
Free of charge street parking Paid street parking Parking

Photos

Reviews

4.7
★★★★★
830 reviews

Most Mentioned

rolls (36) presentation (30) salmon (25) dragon (17) godzilla (7) vancouver system (6) patio (6) platter (5) chicken karaage (5) tasting (5)
5 stars
671
4 stars
91
3 stars
35
2 stars
16
1 stars
17
★★★★
November 7, 2024

Tasty but not too special. Maybe because I’m visiting from Toronto, and the sushi game there is much more competitive. $75 for this tray’s quantity and quality, you can get more in Toronto. Sushi chef’s skills can be more refined - you can see in the picture they are rougher on the edges compared to most sushi places, and each roll was loosely wrapped, kept falling apart on me. That being said, I enjoyed the taste. We ordered the Favourite 5 Tray. Big boss roll was my husband’s favourite, it has these fried yam flakes on top that was a nice texture in your mouth. My favourite was the Sp salmon roll - I like big chunks of fish in one bite. Oshi always tastes good who doesn’t like torched sushi, but I’ve had more refined versions elsewhere.

★★★★★
October 11, 2024

Just off Elgin St, this little gem is a great find! We sat on the patio to enjoy some super fresh sushi. Service was prompt and polite, and the food arrived really quickly. Portion size was generous and food was delicious!

★★★★★
October 7, 2024

Best Sushi in Ottawa! Had the experience of eating at the restaurant and take out and quality is absolutely great. The atmosphere is cozy and presentation is exceptional! And of course, more importantly, it’s the best tasting sushi in Ottawa!

★★★
September 8, 2024

If you like sweet sushi where sauces overpower the fish or if extravangant looking and garnished sushi is your thing then add one star to my review. Otherwise, if you like the esthetically simple looking yet refined complex tasting sushi, stay away from this place. You will be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, sushi are well rolled and food well-made but not sure it is worth the price if you are looking for a refined feast for your mouth instead of bling sushi for your eyes. Lots of patrons here and very good service. So, many ppl must like it. Service is also very good. The staff even comp'd karaage for the couple that moved one table over in order to make room for our large party. 👏

★★★★★
August 4, 2024

A tiny sushi restaurant with super high reviews...on a really hot summer day, you know we had to go for it. We were starving and that single little red house felt like we ended up at the wrong address, but no, its literally where the family lives. Small indeed, about 7 tables or so, but upon walking in, I saw mostly Asian people eating beaufull dishes. What could go wrong? Oh my, sushi was like butter, yet you could feel every grain of rice, the fish felt like it had just been caught and the presentation was top notch. All the other dishes we tasted (gyoza + rice + chicken kaarage) were simply perfect. No wonder this place gets such a high rating, its honnest sushi, by the book, and than some. Keep reviewing, keep rating, they diserve every star. 10/10 experience.

★★★★
May 18, 2024

One of the best sushi places I’ve had in Ottawa. It’s like a new fusion sushi place that has fast service and tasty sauces, combined with fresh fishes and sushi ingredients. The downside is the price may be a little more expensive than most sushi places, especially for the special sushi dishes, but I think it is priced well for the current economy. Will come back!

★★★★
March 20, 2024

Great sushi! The presentation is super cool and the fish tastes like it’s quite fresh and not fishy at all! it was a bit challenging to communicate our dairy allergy to the waitress due to language barriers. In the winter when the door opens and closes it gets so cold inside I had to keep my jacket on. Also note that the vegetable gyoza was crunchy (which maybe some people like).

★★★★★
April 28, 2023

I recently visited a Japanese restaurant in downtown Ottawa for the first time, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. Despite the quirky service, which was not bad, it was understandable as the restaurant was extremely busy. I would recommend arriving early, as they do not take reservations ahead of time. This new restaurant is a great find for anyone looking for a wide selection of Japanese food options. From sushi to tempura, their menu had something for everyone, and all of it was delicious. Our dinner party all loved the food options, and we were impressed by the quality, variety, and taste of everything we tried. Compared to many other Japanese restaurants in Ottawa, this one stood out as being a notch above the rest. The dishes were expertly prepared and beautifully presented, and the flavors were simply divine. We particularly enjoyed the sushi rolls, which were fresh and flavorful, as well as the ramen, which were perfectly cooked and served in a savory broth. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a fantastic Japanese dining experience in downtown Ottawa. While the service may be a bit quirky, it is understandable given the restaurant's popularity and the high demand for their delicious food. So, if you're looking for a great meal with friends or family, I would definitely give this restaurant a try. You won't be disappointed!

December 20, 2024

The last time we visited, we had a really good experience with both the food and the service. Unfortunately, this time we had a confusingly bad service experience. We asked our waitress (a young university student wearing a beanie) if we could make substitutions to one of the platter items on the menu as long as they were below, or the same price as the original rolls. She confirmed that this was possible. However, after our meal, we were charged for the original price of each roll (negating the whole reason to get a platter!) which would not be a big deal to us if that was what was initially communicated. When we politely asked our waitress about this, she replied quite snappishly with a really rude tone saying that this was how it had to be priced. Her response was disproportionately rude in response to our confusion. Unfortunately, even though we enjoyed the atmosphere and food during our visits, our experience today has left a sour taste and makes us not want to come back.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 16, 2024

Took the family to eat here and we all loved it. Very flavorful and nice presentation. A bit pricey but worth it nonetheless

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 9, 2024

The best sushi i ever ate and obviously i will go back.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 2, 2024

Staff were polite and helpful with service, without feeling like they were hovering. The food was AMAZING and came out fast

★★
December 2, 2024

The food is good, but be careful, they cancel their Uber Eats orders very late leaving you high and dry Had two orders cancelled 20 minutes before they were supposed to be delivered in the past couple weeks.

★★★★★
Local Guide
November 23, 2024

Pretty expensive, but the food is great so Id recommend!

★★★
Local Guide
November 23, 2024

I was excited to try out their sushi based on the high praise Ive seen through the reviews and Reddit but was left disappointed and confused. The only reason I gave them a 3 star is because their sashimi was very good. Too many of their rolls were smothered in mayo and what we guessed was Franks, which made it hard to appreciate the fish. For how much they charge, I was hoping for authentic and quality sushi but left feeling like it wasnt worth the hype or cost. Weve had better sushi for a quarter of the price at other restaurants in the city.

★★★★
October 23, 2024

Excellent food and great service! I had the vegetarian green salad and vegetarian mango sushi, and both were excellent! The food was presented beautifully. The patio outside was comfortable, though the inside, for the moment I was there, was a little stuffy. Vegetarian options: There weren t a lot of vegetarian options, but the two that I had both tasted great!

★★★★★
October 23, 2024

Ask for Olena!!! She s the best

★★★★★
October 23, 2024

The best sushi place I have ever been to! Fresh, flavourful and priced well! This is the place to go

★★
Local Guide
October 23, 2024

Won t be going back. Service was horrible. Waited half an hour for the karaage and then at least another hour for sushi we ordered. Food wise: Sushi rolls had good flavour but fell apart at the bottom when I picked them up and completely unraveled. Had the Redblacks roll and assorted sashimi. Chicken karaage was amazing though.

★★★★★
Local Guide
October 23, 2024

best sushi in the city hands down.

September 23, 2024

Horrible service What kind of restaurant takes no reservations yet has a wait list for hours without advertising this. Completely blocking any walk-ins. Think twice if booking for a date night.

September 23, 2024

This place takes no reservations, sure, that happens. But they take an endless waitlist that effectively blocks off the entire evening from walk-ins. Don t waste your time, mediocre decor at best and poor service. So basically they cater only the surrounding blocks; no one in a millions years would drive from any distance just to walk around the vicinity of that restaurant for 2 hours as there is nothing to do. As we left, the bus boy said you gotta come at 6pm to get on the wait list before they close it, meaning 3 hours before kitchen closes. Do. Not. Eat. Here.

★★★
September 23, 2024

Atmosphere is still chill, but food wise has been depreciating. Service not bad - be prepared for unclean utensils and drinking glasses.

★★★★★
September 23, 2024

Best of the best sushi!!!!!

September 23, 2024

Love this place but was really disappointed when we walked in at 8.30pm to be told the kitchen would not serve us.... I am always bewildered when a restaurant posts a closing time of 9pm but shuts the kitchen down 30 to 40 mins before... It really leaves a bad taste.

September 23, 2024

This was our favourite sushi place in the city for many years. However, my SO recently got food poisoning from their food. She left an email which was ignored and I don t think we ll be going back.

★★★★★
September 23, 2024

Wheelchair accessibility: Not easily wheelchair accessible, entrance has stairs Food

★★★★★
Local Guide
September 23, 2024

Delicious sushi and fresh! Really loved everything! Thank you and please open a restaurant in Montreal

★★★★
Local Guide
August 23, 2024

Great rolls, but honestly quite pricey for what you re getting.

★★★★★
August 23, 2024

The best sushi Ive ever eaten in the region. I highly recommend it. Food

★★★★
Local Guide
August 23, 2024

Very decent and creative sushi in Ottawa and reasonable prices, but not the best

★★★★★
Local Guide
August 23, 2024

Went here for a birthday dinner with the promise from my brother that this restaurant has the best sushi in Ottawa and was not disappointed! The special rolls we ordered were very fresh each with its own personality and combination of flavours. The restaurant is small and packed so we did have to wait around 40 minutes for a seat to be available, but the quality of the food combined with the friendliness of staff made it worth the wait. I am very much looking forward to coming back here again!

★★★
August 23, 2024

This was my favourite sushi place in Ottawa but they changed their menu. Still yummy food but some of my favourite combos are not available anymore and no more Ramen

★★★★★
Local Guide
August 23, 2024

Some of the best sushi Ive ever had especially the torched rolls! And in a cute Ottawa style house. I would definitely come back!

July 23, 2024

Let me start by saying the food was amazing. Everything we ordered was delicious. However, the service we received from our waitress, Lucy (we re not sure if that was her name) was so unbelievably bad that it almost overshadowed the great food. Firstly, despite the restaurant being practically empty upon arrival, Lucy gave us a hard time about being seated as a party of six. It felt unnecessary especially considering the open tables. Throughout the meal, Lucys attitude remained rude and kept on slamming the meals on our table. But the absolute worst part of the experience came at the end. When it was time to pay, Lucy brought the bill and practically threw the payment machine at our table. There was no how was your meal? or even a simple thank you. It was honestly shocking behavior, especially considering the quality of the food. The unfortunate reality is that Lucys service left such a sour taste in our mouth that it will likely prevent us from returning to the restaurant, which is a shame because, again, the food was truly excellent. Management should seriously consider some retraining for Lucy, or perhaps shed be better suited for a role that doesnt involve customer interaction.

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

Delicious food, freshest tuna and salmon in the downtown area. Big unagi portions. Great service, thank you Lucy!

★★★★★
Local Guide
July 23, 2024

Great food, limited seating.

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

So good!! Presentation 10/10. Just wish they had another location

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

This review is about a specific waitress named Lucy, terrible attitude and I suspect she s racist. We re a visible minority and were treated like garbage. I wouldn t treat my worst enemy that way, she tried to refuse seating us when we walked in stating that they don t accommodate a large party even though the restaurant was empty. The chef s convinced her that they can. 30 mins after another group the same size walks and she seats them enthusiastically. She was rude and condescending with us and when asked to speak to a manager she said she was the manager girl I wouldn t trust you to toast a piece of bread let alone manage a restaurant . Shame cause the food is FIRE but Lucy has got to go brings tasteless cheap vibes to a very classy restaurant EDIT: I reached out to the owner and he was very kind and apologetic about what transpired during our visit. He remedied the situation, we will definitely be returning!

★★★
Local Guide
July 23, 2024

Standard sushi. No alcohol to enjoy the sushi with.

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

Our go to for Vancouver style sushi. Giant rolls with fresh fish and expertly done sushi rice. Can t go wrong with this place!!

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

My experience at J:Unique was amazing. The food was fire, with taste and presentation of the highest quality. On top of that, our server Chloe was outstanding. They ensured that we received food that accommodated our dietary limitations, and their care truly highlighted the exceptional quality of service.

★★★★★
June 23, 2024

Will be coming back for sure.

★★
June 23, 2024

Great staff and ambience but make your sushi rolls smaller and neater. One was great, the other 3 were messy and not fun to eat.

★★★
June 23, 2024

Overall, our experience was good until we paid. No more than 4 minutes later, the waiter came over and said sorry guys, we have to seat another table. He might as well have said thanks for nothing, now get out. My I really wish I could have taken the 20% tip back.

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

My husband and I have been struggling to find a good sushi place in Ottawa and we were thorough impressed by J:unique. We got the Favourite 5 and shared the rolls and even though we were stuffed by the end we just had to finish them. Definitely try their specialty rolls, theyre delicious.

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

Great sushi, great service and good prices. I had Sushi here and at Sushi Fresh. Both are very good but they serve Sapporo here.

★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

Honestly, for the price, Ive had better sushi experiences.. I know this place is supposed to be a fusion place with interesting sushi creations, but I just dont really buy into it for the price. Its like the menu wants to be fancy but the vibe doesnt fit. The fact that you cant reserve, the plain decor and seating, and the pressure to dine and leave asap takes away from the fanciness. I dont know if you can really charge 22+$ for 8 fancy pieces of sushi with an atmosphere like that. Again, it was good, but I left still hungry after spending 150$ for 2. I probably wouldnt go back.

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

Godzilla is insanely good !!

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

Great sushi! Large rolls with high quality fresh ingredients. I recommend the favourite 5 platter for those who want to try a variety of their popular rolls!

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

So good! Really luxurious and high quality fresh sushi.

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

The food is worth the price amazing food good quality served fresh and I always bring my friends and family here absolutely worth a try

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

Vegetarian options: There is a limited number of vegetarian sushi rolls Food

★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

A small place that happened to be very loud when we were there. Its very cozy and I like my own space so wouldnt go back. The sushi was just average. Ive had much better. The rolls fell apart apart as they are too big around

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

Fresh and unique!

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

Really tasty rolls and creative ingredient combinations. Expensive for sushi. A nice interior, this would be a good place to go for a date. Food is good for sharing.

★★
May 23, 2024

J:unique is a fantastic restaurant with great execution of their menu. My family, friends and I continue to come back because of the quality and consistency of the food and our most recent visit was no different.. However, I would like to make a complaint regarding the customer service, specifically lack thereof of one staff member. We dined at the restaurant on May 11 at opening for mothers day. Upon entry when we were checking in, we asked for a table for 5. We were speaking to a team member, Shauna (?) we don t have room for 5 right now, you ll have to wait an hour . It was such a displeasing tone. We understood that aspect given we saw the current seating plan/table arrangement, we could empathize because we could understand the possible fire hazards as well as the difficulty of the staff passing through to serve the other tables. But regardless of all that into consideration, Shauna was quite dismissive of our ideas of arrangement and plainly did not have a pleasant attitude and was quite short with us. Rather than explaining to us the reasons the tables cannot be changed, she was just plainly dismissive. The restaurant had not been open for 30 mins and she was already not off to a good start. The current seating arrangement resulted in splitting the family into 3 and 2, separately. Moving on to the time of the order. Because our party was split into 2 tables, we asked our server (separate from Shauna) if we can split the dishes as it would be one order of a food item, but because we were divided, we asked to split the dish in two so that the other table could have the other half. Our server politely said yes. Our server then went on and spoke to Shauna in relation to our table I assumed re: dividing the plates, but I could notice that her demeanour to our server was also dismissive, relaying her to the food preppers to see if our request was possible. It was not possible. Our family members kept getting up going to the other table to get food. We enjoyed our food, despite some glassware deficiencies, we asked for our bill. We pointed out that we were double charged for an item. We were speaking to our server, however Shauna quickly chimed in with her negative tone, saying there was a miscommunication and she punched in two . Instead of taking initiative or being proactive or apologizing and/or removing the extra quantity, she proceeded and said something along the lines, you ate two bowls , implying two orders, therefore thats what you are charged for. I could sense our server was trying her best to make our experience pleasant, but Shauna kept bringing it down. Shauna s presented a tasteless demeanour, she brought the whole restaurant down with her as collateral. We did not provide Shauna s negative demeanour defeated any efforts our server and the gentleman server had made with us. I hope the restaurants uses this as a learning and training experience. Quite disappointing. Parking: First come first serve in the area, none designated for restaurant.

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

A fantastic dinner with a WOW Factor. Thr Godzilla Bite is a showstopper. Really enjoyed the Big Boss, Yummy Yummy, and the Salmon Oshi. The Fire Dragon was also a cool show but the unagi overpowered the rest of the roll. The plum wine was also a nice experience. Super sweet and tasty. Service was also spectacular, especially for our big group, with many of us sharing plates and orders.

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

Hard to want to go anywhere else in Ottawa because no where stacks up In comparison so we ve given up. This is now our go to always that s how good and consistent it is.

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

I guess Ill never forget this taste. I wish this restaurant was also in Toronto. We ordered the Favourite 5, veggie gyoza, and chicken karaage. I cant say any of them were bad. The Dynamite roll was my favorite. The taste of the sushi was truly unique. I miss it already. :(

★★★★★
April 23, 2024

My favourite sushi place in Ottawa! Highly recommend sushi roll: J:Unique and Godzilla Bite~

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

One of the best restaurants in the region for sushi! I love the way they serve their house sake (we had it cold).

★★★★
April 23, 2024

Such great quality of sushi in Ottawa!

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

Great sushi! The salmon oshi is a must try, service is great. Highly recommend.

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

J Unique is one of my favourite places to eat sushi. It is a small restaurant and you may have to wait but it is totally worth it! I would recommend the crazy boy roll and the miso soup! The staff are also great and they work really hard to make sure they can accommodate everyone.

★★★★★
April 23, 2024

Truly delicious! Lots of sushi choices and they have veggie options. I recommend.

★★★★★
Local Guide
March 23, 2024

Best sushi in Ottawa

★★★★★
March 23, 2024

Some of the best sushi Ive ever had!

★★★★
March 23, 2024

I have been here so many times. I tried 5 dishes here And it so good But one thing I want is can you post more pictures with the names so I can easily choose the dishes? Because it is difficult to choose dishes without pictures. Any way i love your food.

★★★
March 23, 2024

The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. The food is by no means bad. But for the price point, I do wish they put more thought into the dishes. The ingredients are not very special or unique. A lot of the plating is impractical to eat or just for show. The random fires add nothing to the dish itself besides that the name is after something that breathes fire. The fried sweet potato strands were actually quite good and could ve been used as a more modest garnish or even good enough to come in a separate bowl or on the side of the plate. Trying to fit the bite into your mouth in one bite is impossible and makes you look silly. You end up taking apart the garnish and trimming it down. You lose the essence of the flavourful bite that sushi is supposed to provide.

March 23, 2024

Probably one of the worst dining experiences Ive ever had. My friend and I ordered a few rolls, a salad, and sashimi. During the ordering process, the waitress kept ignoring my friends requests. At that point, we thought it might have been because it was too loud. While we were eating, absolutely ZERO service was provided! Both waiters were refilling water for people seated next to us, and without even acknowledging our table, they simply walked away. If it had happened just once, I would understand, but they continued to ignore us (holding the water and refilling glasses for other tables, its a small restaurant so I cant think of any reason that they can see the empty cup in the table right next to us but not ours) more than three times. In the end, I had to ask them to refill my cup, which they did. The waitress also attempted to take away our salad while we were still eating it, without asking. All things considered, we felt we were not being treated with respect. Hopefully, the store owner and employees can be more mindful in the future and stop discriminating against customers.

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

This is one of the better sushi places in town. The big boss roll always keeps me coming back for more!

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

If you want a sushi experience that will leave your tastebuds in awe, this is the place. Great sushi, great ambiance, great service! Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free options available.

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

Yummy eat food

★★★★
February 23, 2024

A lot less sauce on the oshi sushi compares to before. Somehow felt like eating rice with salmon instead of salmon Oshi roll.... The other sushi roll is better in taste but doesnt keep its shape when you pick it up. I really used to enjoy coming here.

★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

Small and cozy restaurant with not too many seating stops, but went on a Sunday evening and was fine! Food was delicious and beautiful presentation as well had a plum wine, which was sweet and not too strong.

★★★★★
January 23, 2024

Out of this world food.

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

Such a cute little place! Their raw fish was fresh! The hot dishes were delicious. I would definitely be back to try out their own dishes next time I m back in Ottawa!

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

Best sushi in town. Try the godzilla bite, it is just perfection.

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

No fail here, loved there sushi with the mini fire they had on the plate as a decor :D

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

Update January 2024 Prices seem to have increased. No more free tea. Several new rolls to try but none seem to stand out, at least on paper. Tried the new Cooper and Sakura rolls. Cooper reminded me of the Red Dragon roll with the spicy Korean sauce. Except I prefer the red dragon more Sakura was disappointing. Unlike their other rolls, Sakura was visually quite underwhelming and very little sauce. Seems the focus is on the scallop but it didnt do much for me and I wont order again. ***** Dine in and take out, both excellent. There was a miscommunication in our order and they offered to take back the dish without penalty, good service.

★★★★★
January 23, 2024

Best sushi in Ottawa

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Cozy Ambience, Quick and Pleasant service, Impressive menu.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

This is my fourth or fifth time returning and I will keep coming back. Definitely the best sushi in Ottawa. I love their torched otoro and salmon belly nigiri and order it every time. I would personally skip the ramen and stick to sushi. However, the korokke that came with the ramen was absolutely fantastic. Other favourites include the oshi, any torched rolls (the sunset roll is a particular favourite), and the spicy chopped scallop roll. This is the only place in Ottawa that does California rolls with shredded crab meat just like in Vancouver.

★★
December 23, 2023

The restaurant was small and full. A customer passed by our table and knocked my water over. Almost wrecked my phone. Server came up to help. After she took our appetizer order we ate but she took longer to take our dinner and didnt come to check how we were doing.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I adore this place would be an understatement. Their unique flavours of their special rolls are the best thing that hit my tongues pallet We come from Toronto and this has been one of very few restaurants that have been consistent, friendly, professional and provide a good experience. Theyre usually our go-to place when we dont want to be let down!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

IMO Special Roll Tray is for 3-4 people like the Sushi Roll Tray but tastier.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

The restaurant is not too big, but the atmosphere and service is top notch. Not to mention the food is just yummy. This is a must try place if you are in Ottawa. I would not say it is cheap, but the food and service make up for it.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

The restaurant is small so you need to come early. The menu is diverse and because I went with a group, we ordered many items and so is lot of different rolls. The specialty rolls were really something. They are heavy-handed with the garnishes and despite the restaurant being quite full, we didnt wait so long for the food. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, its definitely worth trying! Go in a group and expect to pay $35+ Id say, if youre a foodie like me.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good sushi albeit a tad decadent. That is, the tasty of the fish can very easy be overwhelmed by the rest of the many other flavours and saltiness. I would recommend having some more traditional rolls or sashimi rather than the special rolls. Fire Dragon rolls make for great spectacle (see video) but are a bit difficult to eat without them falling apart. Plum wine is very tasty if you re into sweet drinks. Also, apparently they don t take reservations.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

It is absolutely the top 3 Japanese restaurant in Ottawa in my mind. Highly recommended to people who love sushi rolls. Sashimi was fresh and thick.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Always very good sushi. Good fish, good rice !

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Food wasnt mindblowing or anything but service was fast and atmosphere was nice. It felt a little cramped but overall a nice experience

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Number 1 sushi restaurant in Ottawa

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

my favorite restaurant in Ottawa. Love it. My personal favorites is gozala bite

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Not traditional sushi, in general, everyone enjoyed what they ordered. The Godzilla crunch specialty roll is interesting. We probably will try some other kind of specialty items in the future. The spicy chicken karagge was ok, maybe takeout is not a good choice because it became very soft, not crunch at all. The squid ball is mediocre, too doughy.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Came here after my friend couldn t stop raving about it! Definitely a must try, delicious sushi and ramen.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Lovely little spot for a delicious meal. Our server Allie was super helpful and just a sweetheart! The food arrived very quickly. Looking forward to going back.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Great environment, the taste was good and fresh

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Love love love their sushi! One of my favourite spots to takeout and dine in

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

The best sushi place in town. Service was top notch. Food was high quality. Everything was great. Definitely recommend.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

the reviews are true i almost cant explain how much i love this place super accommodating (allergy friendly: peanuts and eggs) super friendly and super fast service i drive from montreal to come here and i dream about it daily ITS SO WORTH IT please come and enjoy the food here and TIP THEM NICELY my favs: agedash todu sunset gozilla bite tuna tataki

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

J:Unique has absolutely delicious contemporary sushi rolls and other Japanese restaurant staples. Their special rolls are very large and extremely well presented, which adds to the decadence of the experience, especially for such a reasonable price. I do feel the toppings on some of the menu items were a little bit excessive, but this is definitely not your traditional sushi restaurant, so it s all part of the fun. I highly recommend this place if you re looking for a new spin on sushi and want the high quality & great taste to match! Note that J:Unique is quite tiny and doesn t take reservations, so you may have to come early or try your luck if you re hoping to stop by on a busy night like the weekend. Vegetarian options: There are a few of every kind of appetizer & roll that are vegetarian. My recommendation would be the mango special roll! Wheelchair accessibility: The restaurant has an outdoor patio for good weather conditions, but the inside is not wheelchair accessible (there are stairs going up to the door & no ramp).

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best sushi Ive eaten - I think it was called Godzillas Bite! A cozy ambiance perfect for groups of 2-4 diners.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Food was delicious! Service was good. One gripe, washrooms and floors were not clean (hopefully its not an indication of cleanliness in the kitchen) Food

★★★★
December 23, 2023

Very good food and service Crazy girl is the best

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good sushi spot, special rolls are good, regular rolls are average

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

J:unique Kitchen is my favourite spot to get sushi in Ottawa and one of the only places that serve Vancouver-style sushi here. The sushi is always fresh, made high-quality ingredients and unique flavor combinations. I highly recommend trying the J:unique Roll, the sauce they top it off with is addictive. I personally enjoyed the ramen combination as well, not the best Ottawa has to offer but it is very comforting and not too heavy.

★★
December 23, 2023

Just received our order...$140 worth of sushi and not a drop of soy sauce. I dont even know how to rate this as I cant enjoy the mean with the number one condiment the meal is supposed to come with.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I like to eat Japanese food, the food in this restaurant is delicious and the environment is clean.

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Cute little spot in Centretown. First off, Ill say that the service was excellent. We ordered the spicy chicken (finger-lickin good!) and a sushi platter. Not sure if they were having an off-day, but the sushi was rolled a bit amateurishly. I think it had to do with the rice that was overcooked and soggy, and the yam tempura was undercooked in certain areas and soggy in others. Apart from that, the flavours were quite yummy. To note, Ive ordered take-out from them once before and that wasnt an issue then. My recommendation is to get their special rolls as theyre fun dishes with great presentation, and the chicken karage!

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Turns out burning a bowl of lighter fluid in the middle of a plate of sushi makes it taste like burnt lighter fluid. Too much attention to gimics vs flavour.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Great little restaurant, great atmosphere, and the sushi was fancy and tasty!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Sashimi is very fresh, but Flame Sushi is my favorite! Forgot the nameSorry there are large chunks of scallop meat inside. The bottom is fried seaweed, and the top is salad

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

my favorite sushi restaurant!!! nothing compares to this place. i was raised in vancouver and ive been looking for a place that recreates their sushi. wonderful restaurant!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Walking downtown looking for a spot to eat we came across this restaurant, Japanese? Perfect my favorite. We enter and yes, they dont take reservations so we did get on the list and waited, definitely worth it as the food was incredible, really authentic and creative. Its an absolutely amazing sushi spot in downtown ottawa, check it out for sure!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

So good! High quality food and wonderful service!

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Fast, great service. attentive staff. Good quality food. Big portions. They also serve complimentary toasted rice tea. Good alternative to a Japanese buffet. Ordered the tokoyaki, big boss, assorted tempura, fire crab.

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Small place but service was very slow, main came before entre, sushi wasnt tightly wrapped

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I really don t get the hype and the star rating. Sansotei had an endless wait line so I gave this place a try. It also had a somewhat long lineup but I really didn t wanna go back to Sansotei. Turns out it was just another typical busy and seriously understaffed Korean restaurant trying to mimic fusion Japanese restaurant. Food was meh (and pricey!) and I felt really bad for the white server struggling with the lineup and back orders. Kitchen staff also looked drained and stressed. I hope they all get a better place to work at and the white server definitely deserves a big fat raise. Better yet, if you re looking for an experienced server or knows someone looking for one, don t hesitate to poke him for an offer.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best sushi Ive ever had. Im looking forward to eating here again once Im back in Ottawa

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Fantastic. Same taste as the oshi in Vancouver. Speciality rolls were misleading as it says 4 pieces... those pieces are twice the normal size (and cut in half again). In other words, 8 pieces. Fantastic, creative combinations of flavour and texture in their special rolls. Pricey, but worth it. Best sushi in Ottawa. Friendly staff. Nice environment. Hint: if you get the fire dragon roll, youre in for a spectacle. And dont go for the traditional California roll or maki... their special rolls, aburi and oshi make this place unique.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

The staff and food was fabulous. Price was very worth it. Would definitely go again when visiting Ottawa

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Great place for authentic sushi! Tastes amazing, you will not be disappointed!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

This place is truly special and its undisputable to say that location is warm and cozy while their sushi is delicious. What I liked: Ingredient is good quality and fresh, excellent choice of fish The special rolls are intriguing and some have crazy good values for its size and creativity (like the Godzilla bites we tried) The rice is firm, well seasoned, skillfully rolled so that you can taste each grain of rice while taking a bite What Id like to see improved: The spicy karaage has different take on what I usually see at other Japanese places, but this one needs to be worked on its crispiness. A home brewed soy sauce would enhance the experience. Also because Id like to see what kind of flavor would the team come up with. In general we loved it, its reasonably priced for what it is offered. A good time is guaranteed here :)

★★★★
December 23, 2023

First time here and ordered the red dragon roll. Friend ordered tonkutsu ramen. Both quantities were small for its price but taste and presentation were good.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Best sushi in Ottawa

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

My only to go sushi place in Ottawa

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

The sushi is delicious! So flavourful and also very filling (big portions with loads of toppings). We ordered the sockeye salmon Oshi, the Big Boss special roll, and the tempura yam maki. Staff was efficient and friendly. Can t wait to come back to try other things from the menu.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Excellents sushis et excellent service! Everything was great, from sushis to service! Thank you! Food : 5/5

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

good food, fast service, got a table right away early on a friday night, nice washrooms! good experience

★★★
December 23, 2023

Food is 10/10, service is SHOCKINGLY horrible

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Amazing food and service! Definitely one of the hidden gems in Downtown Ottawa.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good sushi, efficient service.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I would have ranked the experience 4.5 stars if it was possible. This place feeks like sitting in your kitchen-dining area and dining. The dining area would be about 150 SQFT perhaps. Small cosy place. Nice staff. Sushi rolls were yummy. Rolls were unrolling when handled. No reservations and limited working hours so be sure to reach early else you would return disappointed as usually the place remains full. Tea is on the house. Prices could have been better by a few percentage points. If you find the place full on the day you visit, take out is always an option. Vegetarian options: Veg options available and some dishes can be served veg only though on menu they are with other food elements.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Small cozy plaxe, delicious food but rarely no waiting line

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Properly the best Japanese restaurant I found in Ottawa. Just need more variety on fish offer would make it perfect

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best sushi in Ottawa! Leanne is a great waitress!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Very inventive dishes. Good service and nice decor.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

We ve been here many times. The service and food are always excellent.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Only tried a couple of the special maki rolls, some flavors I never thought of. This is not the traditional rolls youd expect to have in sushi restaurant. Im not so sure if I like them, the sauce was too rich and overwhelming, I felt sick for a whole day to a point I dont even wanna step into a sushi restaurant for a while. Its still interesting, just didnt fit my bill.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I have been to J:unique a number of times now and I absolutely love it - especially the salmon oshi (always a favourite). It includes a generous portion of salmon and a delicious sauce and torched to perfection. Cant ever go wrong with that. I also love the chuutoro! The other fancy rolls are great too but I am always satisfied with just the other two and can eat them forever... :D

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best sushi I ve had in Ottawa! Great service too.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Absolutely loved the food. Very Vancouver style sushi restaurant. Probably one of the better Japanese restaurants in town. We had the nigiri toro and unagi, spicy salmon roll, fire dragon and wow all of them were so delicious. The portions of the nigiri was also worth $11 each. Will come back again!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

delicious delicious sushi: Maki and rolls are impressive, Nigiri have a little too much fish. The ramen is alright, not much to brag home about. Nonetheless, a very worthy visit.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Amazing takoyaki, great sushi

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Excellent Japanese restaurant! The signature maki rolls are truly incredible. The flavors are very well balanced and the pieces of fish are very generous. The value for money is really very good. Don t hesitate to go there!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Very excellent Japanese restaurant with a small cozy atmosphere, with delicious food and fast service. Came here on Friday evening without any reservation, and we were lucky enough to get a table right away. I highly recommend coming early or calling because they can fill up fairly quickly, and the seating is very limited. Our server was friendly and quick to get our food. We had to move to a different table and got compensated with free miso soup on the house! Ordered the combo set, specifically the big boss roll with sashimi and the sock eye salmon pressed sushi. Everything tastes phenomenal. The sashimi was very thick and fresh, the big boss roll was very flavourful and the pressed sushi had a nice ratio with sauce, fish and rice I highly recommend coming and trying their menu!

★★★
December 23, 2023

Its a nice place, the service is good, but the food is not the best in town. I had ramen and you can tell the difference with respect to other places in Ottawa. It didnt taste bad, but the quality is closer to what you would get if you cooked it in your microwave at home, than to what you would expect from a proper restaurant.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

This sort of care is what will keep me a longtime fan and customer. THANK YOU for taking my celiac seriously and seperating the items so that im not worried about cross contamination. Food is extra delicious when im not afraid itll make me sick!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Fresh delicious large pieces of fish included in all the sushi. No need for soy sauce. The taste of the fish alone was incredible. Exactly what a sushi restaurant should be.

December 23, 2023

Food may be good, we wouldnt know. We arrived at 8:30 on a Thursday night. It was fairly busy and there were 2 tables available only to be turned away with the staff member saying they are closed. They were supposed to be open until 9pm. I could understand if a restaurant stays open until 11 and someone arrives at 10:30 with few or no people in the restaurant. But 8:30? Come on

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good atmosphere and great presentation on every dish, but honestly overpriced for the quality of fish that they offer. The presentation is definitely impressive, but it feels like it gets way more priority than anything else. Many of the rolls feel like the sauce and rice is way out shining (or overpowering?) the fish and other ingredients. That being said, the cuts of fish are generally large and quite fresh, but look and taste cheap while the presentation and price make me expect otherwise. Particularly the Atlantic salmon tasted extremely lacking and seemed more like grocery store frozen farmed salmon than the rich Atlantic salmon I would actually want to pay for in a restaurant. It almost tasted... watery? Even though it was cut skillfully and presented beautifully and costed $9 just for two pieces of nigiri. Overall, it feels to me like a conflicted place. If they can get their fish and balance of flavours in their dishes up to the level of their presentation, it will be an awesome spot.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Amazing. Best pork belly Ive ever eaten in my life. I usually dont like it in my ramen but you would be missing out if you didnt! Cute sweet little house location! This was one of the best stops I made in my first Ottawa trip!

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I went there because of the 4.7 rating but to be honest it s not really a 4.7, I would give it max 2 stars. I got the sushi rolls only, didn t try other foods. But the sushi was very bad, the rolls were very poorly done and the rice around the rolls was uncooked. The presentation was terrible. The taste was average. They put red spicy sauce on the sushi which doesn t give it a good look (personal taste). The menues have no pictures and they don t even include the ingredients for the rolls, which makes it very difficult to order if you go there for the first time. But the staff were nice and explained the rolls. Overall, I ve tried many different sushi places and there is a very good sushi place in byward market called Sushi Fresh which is a must to try!! But since I love sushi, I was looking to try other places and see if I can find other sushi spots in ottawa but this one was a fail for sure. Overall the sushi was not good at all for the price you pay, not going back again.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Great spot in Ottawa. Food is always excellent, so is the service. I highly recommend.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

This is not a big place. Arrived before 6 and it was packed. Only two tables left, and they were outside. So we were seated anyway. Very good food. Service was friendly. Liked the experience a lot. Had the ramen combo and it was good. Sushi was excellent. Cant wait to go back.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

My favourite sushi in Ottawa, I like the tartar and torched options.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

The standalone sushi (nigiri and sashimi) are expensive. However, the fusion-oriented rolls are tasty and big which makes them a good value. The food was very fresh. Takoyaki was on point and our favorite roll was the Blue Ocean roll.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

One of my favourite a la cart sushi spots. Tons of options and awesome rolls.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Food was amazing! Love the Godzilla Bite! full of great flavor and textures!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best sushi in Ottawa. The speciality rolls are to die for!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best quality Sushi in Ottawa. The Pokebowls are the bomb. Glad to see them doing good even during covid. Eating there again soon

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

The sushi is great. And the presentation is wonderful. I cant help it though, I read reviews before I went and set my expectations very high up and was only slightly let down. Too much rice in the sushi maybe? Too big for my mouth (no idea if thats a thing :D, but it adds to the experience). I was wowed by the presentation, but I wasnt wowed by the taste.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Very unique and tasty special rolls! Will return

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Hands down the best sushi place in Ottawa. The food is delicious!

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Wheelchair accessibility: stairs

December 23, 2023

This was the worst sushi restaurant that we have ever tried. We heard amazing things about this place from others and wanted to try it for our anniversary date. Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment. Every piece of sushi came apart as we picked it up. The salmon was probably the worst salmon we have ever had. It was so chewy and tasteless. I have never felt the need to write a bad review about a restaurant but this experience was beyond disappointing. Really not sure how this place is rated so highly. The only positive Thing about our experience was the service. They were very friendly and attentive. Definitely would not return.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Great experience as always. Food was a delicious blend of flavours. My only complaint was that every time the door opened, cold winter air blew in, and we were seated halfway into the restaurant. Food : 5/5

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Great deal for Ramen, coming with side of California rolls and choice of gyoza or korokke. Sides were delicious. Did not order sushi this time, but will definitely go back for that. Wheelchair accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible. There are steps to go to the entrance.