Hajime Japanese restaurant in Toronto

2209 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1E8, Canada

★★★★★
(120 reviews)
Categories: Japanese restaurant

About

Hajime, a new Japanese restaurant located at the beach.

Website
hajimejapanese.com
Address
2209 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1E8, Canada
Plus Code
MPC3+7G Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Time Zone
America/Toronto

Business Hours

Monday
11 AM–9 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
11 AM–9 PM
Thursday
11 AM–9 PM
Friday
11 AM–9 PM
Saturday
11 AM–9 PM
Sunday
11 AM–9 PM

Services

Service options
Delivery Takeaway Dine-in
Offerings
Alcohol Beer Healthy options Small plates Spirits
Dining options
Lunch Dinner Dessert
Amenities
Toilets
Atmosphere
Casual
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards

Photos

Reviews

4.7
★★★★★
120 reviews

Most Mentioned

beaches (9) price (9) salmon (8) miso soup (7) atmosphere (5) spicy (5) bento box (5) tempura (5) avocado (4) fried wontons (2)
5 stars
97
4 stars
11
3 stars
8
2 stars
2
1 stars
2
★★★★★
November 9, 2024

At first I thought it was a little pricey, but after seeing the position size, we were very pleased. Cute and cozy spot to eat inside. Very friendly. 10% off on paying cash.

★★★★
September 3, 2024

Good food. Friendly staff. If I am in the area, I would visit again.

★★★★★
May 2, 2024

The best Japanese food I've ever tried in Toronto so far. The price was good comparing to the portion. I am unagi don lover and this place just hit the point! Fresh Salmon with just $10 for 5 pieces! Love it. Will comeback again.

★★★★★
March 10, 2024

I came to Toronto for vacation and randomly chose a Japanese restaurant. It was really delicious. The ramen was very fresh. I highly recommend everyone to try it.

★★★★
September 8, 2023

I had heard a lot about this place and finally when I got to try it, I’d say it stood up to the expectation. I’m not a Sushi lover but loved their cucumber avocado sushi with spicy mayo. My friend is a fan of their spicy tune sushi and her dish, from the looks of it, did look droolworthy. Their summer cocktails were great and refreshing. Fried wontons were good too, but the veggie tempuras and fried banana dessert were just average. Overall it was a good experience, would love to go back.

★★★★★
September 3, 2023

This is the sweetest family owned business in the Beach! As locals, we love coming here for a bite of sushi and their kitchen has some great options too. Service is always lovely - and fast! The ambience is very peaceful, perfect for a small family dinner or even a cute date night. Their prices are fair and the fish is always delicious. Good ikura is hard to find in this city, and I trust these guys to always have the fresh stuff. Come here to support a small, family owned business with a lot of heart and great food - you won’t be disappointed ❤️

★★★★★
December 10, 2022

Visited this restaurant with family to celebrate a couple of birthdays. It was not busy at the time since it was weekday evening. We were promptly seated and the server took our order quickly. Food did not take too long to arrive and it was good quality in terms of both ingredients and portion sizes. Other family members remarked on the inclusion of scallops and other seafood in one of the udon noodle bowls. I had the Yakisoba with pork dish and while very spicy it was excellent. Noodles were good, nothing was under or over cooked. Server also checked in on us regularly to ensure that everyone in my party was satisfied with our food. A very pleasant experience in the beaches and I am likely to recommend this location to friends or family for a local Japanese restaurant in the future. Prices are comparable to other Japanese restaurants in the Toronto as well.

★★★★★
June 30, 2022

Welcome to the neighbourhood! The new ownership is so friendly and warm. The portions were very generous, and our meal was extremely fresh and delicious. So glad they kept the quiet, warm, and cozy decor!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 9, 2024

Honestly such a lovely little sushi place. Didnt expect much when I went in but they had great sushi and it was very affordable. If I lived in the area this would be a regular for me.

★★★★★
November 23, 2024

The food was excellent, the service was fast and the staff were kind for a celebratory meal this restaurant was amazing

September 23, 2024

Not fresh and got sick.

★★★★★
Local Guide
July 23, 2024

Food was actually really good! Better than the other local spots I ve tried

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

I ve eaten here twice now, lovely people running the place, amazing food, decent prices for what you re getting, all of it was great! Will definitely be back!

★★★★★
Local Guide
June 23, 2024

I got the salmon oshi, it was very good. Tender fish, good rice, and lots of flavors that work well together. Overall it was on par with good sushi restaurants in Japan. The okonomiyaki was decent, although Ive had better in Osaka. I found this okonomiyaki was a little too thick, and the vegetables put inside make the pancake a little too fibrous. If you dont want to pay for a ticket to Japan to get the very best, this is a great alternative. Id put it in the top 5% of sushi restaurants globally, at approximately a 40% higher price than an average sushi restaurant. Good value and worth a revisit.

★★★★★
June 23, 2024

food was mind blowing and out of this world. definitely go if you are really hungry. perfect for a busy day. the service is really good too and the staff are friendly thank u sm!

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

Best Japanese restaurant! I strongly recommend this place Food

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 23, 2024

I loved it, I have try other Japanese places and definitely this is one of my favorites, excellent dishes and great people I will come here

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

Delicious and fresh!

★★★★★
April 23, 2024

Lovely quiet dinner

★★
Local Guide
March 23, 2024

Cramped place. Small portions. Overpriced for what you get. Its a Japanese restaurant but you have to pay extra for tea which is not the loose leaf tea you generally get. Service was good but overall there are much better places..

★★★
March 23, 2024

Ordered for family/friends twice. Have high standards when it comes to sushi. Common, market sushi; many inverted, rice rolls (too much rice), fish nigiri is ok -edible. Lots of avocado. Nothing exotic. Please go to Tokyo to get ideas.

★★★★★
Local Guide
March 23, 2024

delicious!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
March 23, 2024

Cute setting, excellent sushi!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

Great place and atmosphere with a nice variety of food. Had the Katsu Don with miso soup and Takoyaki, pretty delicious!

★★★★★
February 23, 2024

I could eat their spicy red tuna and spicy salmon maki everyday. Delicious.

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

My grandfather and I each had Bento boxes and we split a roll between the both of us. Good quality fresh fish and nice service. Will definitely be coming back.

★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

Food quality was amazing. Theres parking on the street right in front. The space inside is limited but should be sufficient for a small group. Food : 5/5

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

A small intimate sushi restaurant on East Queen. The quality is 10/10 and the fish is so flavourful. The price is super fair as well.

★★★★
Local Guide
January 23, 2024

very good food and very delicious

★★★
December 23, 2023

Formerly Japango, this restaurant was bought by a friendly young couple. Lunch was good but not great. The sushi rolls in the bento box were refrigerated and bland and the teriyaki beef was tough. Was disappointed to see that they kept all the old Japango tables and chairs (the bench seating has always been really uncomfortable). The bathrooms are, well, awful. Maybe the owners have plans for renovations. I hope so.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Went to Hajime last night completely on a whim (we were actually going somewhere else and saw them open so we decided to try it). The food was absolutely amazing, extremely fresh, and very high quality. You can tell they pride themselves on their product. I was skeptical about sushi on a Monday as thats usually when the weekend leftovers are sold, but not here. Everything tasted fantastic and was top notch. The staff was so incredibly friendly, and accommodating to allergies my girlfriend had. I cant say enough great things about how nice they were. Definitely a go to for sushi now.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Lunch specials are around $15 ea with 10% cash discount until 3 pm. Lots to love . Salmon sushi w veg tempura a fave. Friendly service.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

I went here so many times and this is amazing place The food is amazing and everything You definitely have to go there to check it out

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

I come here often, the food is delicious and fresh. The chefs here are skillful. Miso Ramen Noodles Its delicious that every soup is perfect. Sushi is the first place to invite everyone to visit and taste, you will not be disappointed for sure, recommend me to rate 10/10

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Kid-friendliness: Food was delicious staff are friendly and helpful prices are great as well would recommend this place

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Beautiful little place in the Beaches. The people there was very polite and friendly. The food is also great .

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Some of the best sushi I ve had in Toronto, food quality and presentation were very notable

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

I m a picky sushi eater and ate tons of sushi in Japan but this place is decent!

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Took a look in the window and thought wow this is cute but the food was way more wow than the resto. I love bento boxes and they aren t the easiest to find. Had the salmon was very tasty cooked perfectly and the sauce was great. Seaweed salad, tempura was awesome. California rolls had SO much avocado and beautiful roe on top again delicious. Miso soup was mixed perfectly and the Japanese salad dressing was also so good! It s far from home but I m coming back!

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Best sushi we ever had!! Very fresh and flavourful food. Quick and great service. Recommend the Gyoza, Smoked Salmon and Dynamite Maki. Date:22.06.23 Food

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

We ordered the unagi sushi and the shashu ramen. The food was really delicious and the staff was friendly. We only looked for the nearest Japanese restaurant for ramen but we had a really nice experience here!

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I suggested to my friend that we try this place out because of the glowing reviews. I ended up apologizing to him for choosing the place. Pros: service was good and the people who work there were very nice. Cons: the fish did not taste fresh and the tempura batter was very dense and heavy and had a dark brown colour to it.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Nice atmosphere and good food!

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

No soup or salade in sushi sets, tipped 20% on takeout order, I shouldnt have because I didnt get service, So I ended up paying 60 on a 45 dollare meal that didnt even come with miso soup, I feel ripped off.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Very cute little sushi shop, I got a sushi bento and my gf got a sashimi boat and each sashimi/sushi was so tasty. The miso soup was perfect in my opinion. Perfect spot for a nice intimate dinner w friends or family. Usually places serve free tea but this place we had to pay for our tea, which was the only downside. Other than that, a great spot overall! Parking: Queen St Parking

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

A quiet and relaxed atmosphere and the food very good.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

The food is good, but the service and atmosphere are what bring me back. Very friendly staff with big smiles. Unlike some other restaurants in the neighborhood, they dont just serve your food and then leave you alone, and then wait for you to get up and pay at the cash. I understand cultural differences and what not, but for my entire life the standard service in the Beaches is that a server checks in at least once and also brings you your bill, and thats what happens at Hajime. These gestures are appreciated :)

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

We ordered the Hajime Ramen and it was fantastic. We will be coming back again soon.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

This restaurant is so lovely. We ended up here for our anniversary dinner a month ago and have been thinking about it since! The atmosphere is relaxing, ambient and cozy. Every single item we ordered was fresh and delicious. We will definitely be back for the Ramen, wontons, and sushi, and I cant wait to try more of the menu. Definitely my new favourite japanese restaurant in the east end.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Fresh and flavourful sushi! Been looking for a sushi place that offers smoked salmon sushi when my previous go-to stopped offering it - so happy to have foud Hajime. Deep fried wontons were also lovely. Great service.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Everything yum yum

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

First time to eat here. Its sooo good!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Excellent neighborhood sushi restaurant with a very good variety of fresh fish (not only salmon and tuna) and many different things on the menu prepared by a friendly team. Definitely worth a visit, and definitely worth some repeat visits!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

I only ended up here because the staff down the street at Kyouka was so unwelcoming and rude. Here, the woman behind the sushi bar was smiling and saying hello before I even had the door all the way open. I read another review that mentioned it s a family run business - and their customer service is excellent. The tonkastu ramen was delicious. All the staff, including the sushi chef, were super lovely. Go here.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Accidently walked by at the perfect time to be their very first customer! Plates were beautifully done, and everything was tasty. Loved the look of the spicy tuna. Might have slightly preferred their black dragon roll just because I love unagi. The texture of their tempura inside the roll was quite nice. Had a light and flaky texture, which worked quite well. Cant wait to try more!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Very nice creamy miso soup. Tasty California temaki and well executed red dragon. They are new and took over the old japango location with a slightly refreshed menu and some of their own original items. Recommended and wishing them good luck.

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

The most delicious sushi I had in a long time! Wonderful owner-operated restaurant, cozy and incredible quality!

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Amazing sushi! You won t regret going here!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Finally a sushi place at the Beaches worth writing home about! The rice itself is perfection, fresh fish and even better house signature sushis. Couldn t recommend more

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Great food and service

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Tried Hajime for the first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. The fish was fresh and tasty and the rolls were a perfect size and shape. This might be our new favourite sushi place in the beaches.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Excellent New Sushi place. Highly recommended. Fresh and very well put together and platted. Very friendly staff. Check them out . Small intimate spot for locals .

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Wonderful friendly staff. Food was excellent!!! Drinks looked exactly like in the picture! Overall, lovely experience

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Fantastic service and fantastic food. The spicy tuna sushi tasted delicious. The rice was nice and moist, the sauce was sweet and spicy, the avocado felt good to eat, and the tuna was excellent. Staff was very friendly too. If youre looking for sushi in The Beaches, this place is 5/5.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Amazing place! Everything is super tasty! Special sushi is to die for

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Amazing food, extremely pleasant staff, and lots of effort was put into design and atmosphere of the place - you do feel like you re in Japan!

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Stopped in for a quick dinner last night. First time at Hajime. Excellent food. Super fresh and creatively presented. Very friendly service. Glad to see this new addition to the neighbourhood.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Stopped by for some takeout, the sushi set was fresh and tasty. The rice had a little bit too much vinegar flavour for my taste but thats just personal preference. Fast, friendly service:) a great addition to the neighborhood!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Easily my favourite sushi place Ive been to in the city. Cutest little spot, prices are fair but the quality is superb.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

great place to get sushi with friends

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Hajime Japanese Restaurant by the Beaches. My friend told me about the amazing sushi. Last night I attended restaurant and had the Spicy Salmon and Grilled Teriyaki. WOW! it was delicious and good portions. The chef SAO was very clean and quick. The server was so nice and kind! I strongly recommend! Looking forward to my next meal! Thank you so much.... Rocket!

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Unsure of what we wanted to eat, we stopped in here to give it a try. REALLY great experience. Small; but cozy authentic feeling. Great very friendly staff and delicious food. Would come back for sure

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

We have been here about 3 times and each time the service is great, food is always well made and presented and the small space is intimate and perfect. We always walk in and happen to get our usual table. Chef and staff are very friendly and my son enjoys the cozy space. Def worth trying and coming back regularly. Our faves are the salmon sashimi, spicy Salmon roles, dynamite rolls and beef teriyaki, the miso has ample flavour and the wasabi is perfect spice, iam not sure if its house made but it has a sweetness to it that we enjoy, soya sauce is also very subtle and not overpowering. They also have lunch and dinner specials, but we have stuck to our usuals.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Very quick (during Beaches Jazz Festival!) and very good.

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Some of the best sushi I ve had in a long time. Worth a visit

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Unfortunately they are trying to do a bit to much and nothing especially well imho. Takoyaki where cold, so was the miso soup. Gyoza deep fried, gyo don underwhelming. The okonomiyaki were pretty good however. We didn t have sushi, maybe that s the restaurants strong suit.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Good and fast service. Delicious and fresh food. The spicy tuna roll was sooooo good.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

amazing fresh sushi, very quick service, kind staff.

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

sushi slay

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Perhaps because they have such high ratings, I had higher expectations of the quality. Good service so giving it 4 stars, not 3.

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

I never make reviews. But this is some of the best Japanese food Ive ever had no exaggeration.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Friendly staff, the food is good for the price.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Great food, the teriyaki beef Bento box and eel don were delicious! Their rice is amazing.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Lovely quaint and amazing food! is very tasty and would recommend

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Delicious! Finally good sushi in the beaches. Can recommend the spicy tuna roll and the homemade Tom Yum soup. Will be returning regularly

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Had a yummy dinner here and were looking forward to returning. Their fish was fresh and good quality, and I liked the nicely seasoned rice. Miso soup was also good. Egg in the California roll is nontraditional but a delicious addition. Would recommend as a solid spot in the neighborhood for sushi.