Imanishi Japanese Kitchen in Toronto

Rude staff, overpriced

I do not understand how their kitchen works at the pace it does but my partner and I got 8 dishes and 6 drinks staggered across an hour and never felt like we were waiting for food. Also the food was marvelous - my favourite was probably the miso pork belly Katsu, particularly with the wasabi they served it with.

This is the spot. Every Dish. Order three of the broccoli and an extra sweet corn to go. When the server suggests an amount of food, nod and add extra. If you can find out the fried chicken recipe, please let me know. Last thing, Dont skip dessert but double it. I was planning my next visit before the check arrived.

Food was really yummy, service was very bad! While we were still eating our server was like another table is coming in 15 mins so get any final orders in. Every interaction with him was negative and felt like we had offended him just by being there. He was being friendlier to other tables around us as well. Also the dessert does not live up to the hype!!

Food was delicious- 5/5, unfortunately our service was not - 1/5. While all of the support staff were super nice and friendly, our server was the opposite. As we came in, he didn t greet us and was only interested in if we had a reservation (we did). Every interaction felt either awkward or negative. When our dessert arrived he kept trying to bring the machine. He rushed us out within our dining window and looked over our shoulder as we were paying.

One of my favourite bars and kitchens in the city. Staff are extremely kind and welcoming. The food is delicious and always made fresh. Ive been back multiple times and have brought multiple people, all have echoed my experience.

The tako celery, corn kakiage, pork belly skewers, and the toast dessert were killer. All cocktails were delicious as well

Great place for a late night drink. The food is on the pricey side, but I think the atmosphere kind of makes up for it. Also, it is an Izakaya, so the price is somewhat expected. Will try some other dishes next time!

Every dish was so good!

Great vibes. Just the right amount of music, hip and Japanese decor. You know you are here for the experience not the sashimi although it s tasty

Enjoyed the food no complaints on that but there was a centipede in my liquor. In total me and my five friends spent $600 and it was really disappointing that we didn t receive an apology for the centipede. Everyone at the table was extremely dissatisfied and the centipede affected our enjoyment/taste for the rest of the dishes. We were offered a free round of shots and took it but it didn t feel sufficient for the disservice and disgust it caused us. The lack of accountability from the servers was really unacceptable . I understand they are a busy restaurant but definitely expected much better service. The service and attention from the staff in general was lacking.

Ok.

WOW WOW WOW!!

Food was really tasty! Service was astonishingly indifferent for a place with this high of a price point. Guy with long hair and a white trucker hat with red text asked me to tuck in more at the bar, I was already sitting tucked in. Told the bartender it was our first time and we were really excited to try and she said okay. She forgot my girlfriend s whiskey and when I mentioned to trucker hat guy she quickly grabbed it and he said yes it s right here . I m like bruh I ve been waiting to drink a beer that now has no head left because the bartender made three cocktails before serving a neat whiskey on the wood. Tip option only includes 20 and 22% as an option lol. For $90 a head there are much better places.

Top 3 spots in Toronto - food is all amazing and the dessert the best in the city

One of the very best spots in Toronto for sure!

Wonderful food and friendly service, but not easy to get a table (be sure to make a reservation). We of course had no idea the restaurant was such a busy place but were fortunate to get a seat without a reservation at the bar on a Friday. Our server/bartender was very friendly and seemed happy to talk to us about the cocktails as she made them. I wasn t planning on getting a cocktail but they looked so good I ended up getting the melon one after watching her make it. She recommended the corn tempura and the spicy chicken, which we would also now recommend to any first timers, as well as the ramen which we could not believe was only $15. All in all a wonderful experience, food came out fast and the ambience was warm and pleasant. Thank you!

Outstanding dishes , carefully crafted bites that are full of flavors that tingle the soul. We had a large selection of items, namely the beef tataki, the wings and the Japanese toast with taro icecream wins sashimi selections were great too. Service as very attentive by Karim, shout out to a very knowledgeable and great host. The food defiantly reflects the owner/chefs attention to detail and finesse. Flavors merged beautifully with a great selection of sake and Japanese whiskey. Will surley come back for the tataki...

I went here with my partner for a date to celebrate her new job, and realized that I had actually come here well over a year ago as well with a friend. On that visit, I distinctly remembered how good the monkfish liver paté tasted. This time around we ordered a yuzu lemonade and dai dai bitter orange soda and they were both great. For plates we had the hamachi sashimi (the special sushi they had on the day), spicy karaage, corn kakiake, beef curry, and curry spring roll. Of these the best items were the sashimi and the corn kakiake, will definitely be returning for those. We also ordered the Tokyo milk toast with taro milk tea and that was delectable - one of my favourite desserts of all time.

Lovely dinner paired great with sake selection

going to keep it real with you guys, i feel like it is a bit overhyped but the food isnt bad. (pls ignore the empty dish on the third plate LOL). we got the monkfish liver pate--they provide you with four pieces of toast and it was pretty good. it tasted kinda like blended tuna a bit with like pate ngl ... anyway, the corn karage was also good, a little on the salty side but still good. however, they only give you 2 pieces so i find the price to be CRAZYYY. next, the sashimi was good but also 9 pieces for the price is a little insane, i will not lie (maybe i am just a brokie lolz). the ribs were actually quite good + the gyudon was good too. reasonably priced so i wont complain. the Tokyo Toast was also good but wasnt like... to DIE for like everyone hypes it up. honestly, the pricing is a bit wack but the food is actually quite good. i would probably go again to eat the pate thing and the Tokyo Toast. also pls excuse the low quality photos i am so sorry... anyway, yeah, i would recommend this place!

Very delicious. Portions on the smaller side but still well worth it. Would def rec the eggplant, karaage, n can t forget the dessert which was arguably the highest light of the meal. Cheers m8s

Great food and service with a nice laid back vibe. The fried chicken was definitely a star of the menu as well as the toast with ice cream.

Taste:portion:price, was so so. It is a small plate kinda place but value definitely isnt there for me. I did try their sandwich bar (different branch) that one was 4.5/5.

very loud, inconsiderate waiters, slow timing, food was not that great. it was much better a few years ago beef tataki was warm. ordered 4 dishes, took 30 minutes to get out the first dish.

Hidden gem! Amazing sandwiches, must get hojicha and perfect park location :)

10/10 spot. Hit on everything. Must visit

ive been seeing this restaurant all over instagram and tiktok from my local foodie friends and other influencers, so i was super excited to try Imanishi and went on my birthday. the restaurant is small, with bar seating and limited table spots. the vibe is more romantic with the lights off and candles at each table. my server was very kind and attentive, but the one taking reservations and incoming customers seemed more on the careless side. Onto the food, the first three dishes we got were great. The monk fish liver pate, corn kakiage and tai carpaccio were excellent. I still think about the pate and bread since they were just that good however, the rest of the dishes we got fell short. Maybe it was our fault for not ordering the right things (again, the first three dishes were good) but the nagoya ramen and karashi ribs did not do it for me. The ramen was fine, but it tasted like something you can make with an instant pack at home... nothing impressive. The ribs were very tender and fell right off the bone, but were super salty and the mustard was too overpowering. Now for the dessert - everyone raves about the toast, how its the best theyve ever had, and how theyll return here just for the toast, but I found the toast mid at best. The toast is quite literally deep fried japanese milk bread.... with some T&T taro ice cream on top. I dont know which influencers hyped this up so much but im here to de-influence you... your local hong kong cafe has better toast than this, trust me. Ill give the toast some points for not being too sweet but again it was just bread with ice cream with a hint of nutty flavour. Although my meal didnt go as planned, Im still glad I visited this restaurant and was able to try it and share my thoughts. If you are to visit, id def recommend the tai carpaccio and monk fish liver pate.

the dishes varied from okay to great but prices were actually reasonable for a small plates restaurant. cocktails were decent but nothing to write home about. however, taking out a star for the terrible seating. probably the hardest bar stools i ve ever sat on (also without backs) and after an hour, couldn t take it any longer. also, they had no takeout containers for the ramen which is a poor choice. sakoku: drink itself was decent but why so much ice? monkfish liver pate: one of my favorite dishes, must try. rich and savory. paired well with baguette. prawn and cilantro salad: sleeper hit. refreshing and bitter to contrast the other plates. corn kakiage: enjoyed this dish, good pops of salt and fried well curry spring rolls: skip, wasn t terrible but unmemorable karahashi ribs: perfectly tender and marinated. strong wasabi flavor from the mustard which i enjoyed but not for everyone. nagoya ramen: too salty, skip and didn t even have takeout containers for it. a fundamental miss. tokyo toast: well made dessert and actually good ratio between ice cream and toast. a little played out though.

Ramen bowl was tasty and quantity wise it was good

On the outlook it looked a little sus but the world behind the entrance door was magical. The fragrance of the whole place, the food & drink, & the service were 10/10. Loved Parking: Depending on when you come, you might have to pay for meter.

This review will be mainly about the terrible service we received this dinner. I had been wanting to come to Imanishi for years now after hearing how amazing everything was - the food, the vibes, the atmosphere. I was super excited and had high expectations. I booked a reservation for 7:00pm. I quickly locked into the menu and decided everything I wanted to order - drinks, food, and dessert all ready to go. Our waiter came to us, offered to let us know about the sake specials. I said you can tell us but we already know what we want - he quickly said okay and took our order. We also gave our order for the food, and I had requested the appetizers come at the same time and the mains to come at the same time (since theres limited table space). Its 7:30pm, our pickles and corn fritters come out... no cocktails in sight.... ok cool. Thankfully they came about 5 minutes later (still odd in my head, usually drinks come first). While we enjoyed our starters, a new couple sat at the table next to us (this is about 7:40pm). We waited... it was about 8:15pm at this point and no sign of any new foods coming to our table. However, the tables all around us were getting their food no problem, including the table beside us who got seated way after us and ordered similar dishes. So... why did they get theirs and we didnt get anything? Im not one to say anything, but I had to at this point. It was around 8:25pm, we had been at the restaurant since 7:00pm and how are there still not entrees for us? When I asked our waiter for an update on our food, he claimed its coming, dont worry in a condescending way. Like as if I had asked multiple times about when our food would arrive (even thought I only asked that one time). Immediately after I asked, our food started coming out. Funny I had to REMIND our waiter that we had ordered food and THEN it starts coming out. I was annoyed but hungry so we ate in silence. 10 minutes pass its about 8:40pm, the same waiter comes to the table and says we will need the table by 9, do you want to order any more food? EXCUSE ME??? I have to rush my dinner now because YOU forgot about our main dishes and made us wait an hour for them? We quickly finished our food and told him to bring the dessert since we only had about 10 minutes to finish. Once the bill came and I went to pay, the only tip options were 20% and 22% - absolutely not. There were no apologies given about the wait, no remorse about anything. This makes me feel like this type of service and long wait times are normal, but it was my first time here so I have no idea (I didnt read anything negative about this spot). There was no warmth from our server at all throughout the evening - not while we were eating, not when we were leaving, nothing. I left the restaurant that night feeling so bummed and disappointed. How can a restaurant with such rave reviews leave me feeling so uncomfortable? I definitely wont be back here for a long while (not to mention how expensive it is for small portions... Im very much not used to that). To end on a positive note, the food was really good and tasty. Quality was really fresh and good quality. Id recommend the corn fritters, red snapper carpaccio, and the tokyo toast of course. Drinks were meh, I couldve skipped those. I really hope this customer service issue gets resolved because I would really want to come back here but Im afraid we will be forgotten again and receive this poor service once more.

Great spot! Everything we tried from the menu was amazing!

Came for the drinks. 3.5/5. 20% and 22% tip percentage suggestion made me uncomfortable although I did give 20%. To be honest there was nothing so special to leave a 20% tip, and service was unfortunately quite awkward - hope tip also goes to hard working Asian staff at the kitchen.

I will start by saying that I do not understand the hype for this restaurant at all. It was not the service that left a lot to be desired, it was the food. We found most of the dishes to be TOO SWEET. I have placed the dishes we tried in the following three categories with a few comments: GREAT Gailan Gomaae (a little too saucy but still enjoyed this), Prawn and Cilantro Salad (LOVED THIS!), Nagoya Ramen (it was the only spicy item we tried which was a nice change), Tokyo Toast (LOVED LOVED THIS!) GOOD Beef Tataki, Corn Kakiage (kind of hard to mess up corn tempura), Karashi Ribs (meat was tender but a bit too sweet), Gyubon NEVER AGAIN Tako Celery (octopus seemed overcooked and the pairing with celery is a bit strange), Chicken Karaage (didnt seem crispy enough), Saba Miso-Ni, Pork Belly Miso Katsu, Ebi Fry and Imanishi Beef Curry (lacked protein and vegetables.. honestly reminds me of the Golden Curry cubes). Maybe we didnt order the right items? I do have to admit that the Tokyo Toast is a stand-out item. But I dont think it made up for everything else. There are so many restaurants in Toronto that I do not think Ill be returning. I hope this will serve as a helpful guide if you still insist on giving this place a try!

You don t understand how good it is. My faves are the corn kakkiage, broccoli, and the Tokyo toast dessert. I d actually die for this place

Weve visited this restaurant a few times now and its now one of our favourites in Toronto. We really enjoyed the Nagoya Ramen, prawn and cilantro salad, corn kakiage and curry spring rolls. They were all full of flavour and well portioned, with the prawn and cilantro salad being a standout. The only item we werent a huge fan of was the pork belly katsu as we found it a bit too heavy/fatty, but the flavour was still quite nice. The Tokyo toast with taro icecream is a must order for dessert!

Impressively not good food. Chicken karaage was more batter than chicken. Beef curry had no beef. When I asked about the lack of beef, the waitress told me it was supposed to be like that, which is even more of a travesty. Would have been better if this was all an accident.

Maybe a 3.5. Make sure you come here with a full meal in you or youll walk out unsatisfied. This would be an okay place if it didnt cost $15 a dish for morsels. Better to just go to a standard Japanese restaurant.

We walked in on a Friday evening and we were able to get bar seating for 2. They have a patio in the warmer months if you prefer to sit outdoors. We went during the weekend of Do West Fest, so there was a special menu. We got the anchovy potato salad & chips (more like anchovy flavoured potato salad), karashi ribs (with spicy horseradish sauce), corn kakiage (sweet, salty, crispy), and Tokyo toast (simple and delicious). The dishes we ordered were all solid. Each dish was a small tapas size, great to share with one other person. Washrooms are downstairs. Service is good, the bartender was friendly and they were attentive with refills and serving our food at the right time. Prices are reasonable. By the way, its hard to get a reservation here, so dont be afraid to try to walk in for bar seating!

I ordered the monkfish liver pate and it was so good! It was creamy and melts in my mouth. I wish they couldve given me more bread. I also ordered the Tokyo Toast, which was also great! Service was quick and attentive.

very over hyped. if you are more into western food then this is for you. 1st ramen was showered with oil. making the broth unsippable* lol 2nd karaage was drenched in sauce making it almost like a general tao chicken spicy lol. neither crispy or juicy. also partnered with unflavoured sour cream 3rd the two pork katsu looked so unappealing and unappetizing. they look like two kebabs dipped & coated in sauce or they look like two big poos LOL what a weird thing to serve 4th we also got curry which was quite alright but you will mostly be eating the rice with sauce. *only like 3pcs of meat and no other things added* 5th the server was also really rude i would say. this server knew we didn t like the food so i huess thats why we were treated that way? we kindly told her we didn t want dessert either as we already had a bad experience for the main courses and she just gives a side eye AHAHA ps. pls dont work in customer service if you can t control your emotions or sassyness and expect us to still tip after that. TIP IS NOT MANDATORY. IT REFLECTS THE FOOD AND THE EXPERIENCE WHICH WAS A NEGATIVE 0

I had a great birthday dinner at Imanishi! Food was delicious, the staff were kind and attentive and music and vibe were impeccable. Top dishes of the night were the Tokyo toast, Corn Kakiage and the Mackerel dish.

Very special little place. Relaxed, cool vibes with light footed staff and some scrumptious dishes. The corn kakiage, monkfish pate, and fish carpaccio were standouts from an already incredible lineup.

Every single plate was amazing. No more words. Corn kakiage is tooo good Ribs really tender and juicy Also get the toast for dessert!!!!

Exceptional food, service and atmosphere. A perfect trifecta. A must repeat restaurant for us. Special note for any music lovers or audiophiles, the sound system and acoustics are dialed in here... So a good choice for those who like their ears to be pleased while dining. (McIntosh amplification, JBL speakers with iso acoustic pucks etc...). Thank you Imanishi Japanese Kitchen! Please like this review if it helped! Thanks

Food was amazing, however the night ended on a not so great note. After only an hour our server brought us our bill without being asked. We felt like we were being rushed out because they wanted to turn over the table. Tables are very close together as well so unfortunately it s a bit distracting hearing everyone s conversations beside you. Especially if you re seated next to loud/annoying people.

yum

Second time around and was delicious! Had the whole sake tasting menu and everyone was so tasty. The food was always never a disappointment and the service was top notch! Cant wait to go back again <3

Get the corn. Get the Alo-hi. Get everything. Vegetarian options: Various rice, noodle, and vegetable dishes. Food : 5/5 |

Their wings and yellowtail hamachi are the best!

The vibe is right. Chilled and inviting. The service is very good, the staff is super friendly. They gave us a glass of birthday drink which was very thoughtful. Amazing sake and plum wine selections. The appetizer was awesome. The only disappointing dish was Kara age. It was too heavy and too spicy for me. Saba was ok, too. I m Japanese and I feel like I can cook better Saba dish at home. Other than that it s wonderful. I ll probably come back for a drink and appetizers.

Great spot for drinks and a snack! Food quality was great, although portions were a little small. Service was amazing.

This restaurant is really cute and if you re in the area, I d highly recommend. The outside of the building is very lowkey but inside is very nice. The food was really good especially the corn kakiage and gyudon. The pork was also sooo tender. The dessert was very good and wasn t too sweet which I enjoyed. The warm bread dipped in cinnamon sugar paired with the cold ice cream was the perfect combo. The service was also great because I mentioned that there was a birthday and forgot about it until they brought out dessert with a candle which was nice.

Third time here and the food is better each time. Cocktails were good and service was amazing.

A must try for homey Japanese tapas. I loved the appetizers and drinks! The monkfish pate and Tokyo toast were my two favs. However, the proteins could be tastier they were all stronger on the sauces versus the protein itself. The servers were incredibly kind and attentive to our table. Definitely worth a visit if you re near the area and want elevated izakaya food.

A friend recommended this place with a perfect atmosphere for drinking. All the appetizers are exquisitely crafted and delicious. What amazed me the most was the eggplant, which was seasoned to perfection, and the finale of deep-fried bread paired with taro ice cream.

Good drinks and eats

I have visited this restaurant more than 6 times, and I have always had an amazing experience! The food is delicious, but my absolute favorite is the Tokyo toast - its a must-try! I could have 10 dishes of it. The service staff and bartender are top-notch; they make you feel welcome and taken care of. I had a wonderful time yesterday thanks to their excellent service. Highly recommend this place for a great dining experience!

Second time here. The food is really good and reasonably priced. Went in recently with a group of 5 and at the end of our reservation slot we were told they would be putting an autogratuity on our bill. Didnt think anything of it until I got the bill and discovered we were hit with 23% gratuity. The service was good, but 23% is much higher than the norm of 15-20%? This really has me questioning if Ill ever go back or recommend this spot.

Awesome food, great atmosphere, nice decor, over all very good vibe definitely worth the visit

THE place for Japanese share plates. This is one of the very few places I ve been that actually lives up to the hype. Every dish was incredible and had such a unique flavour and quality. The portions are small but that s to be expected for a tapas place. The atmosphere is very intimate, but it s a bit of a tight squeeze for more than 4 people. Only thing I didn t like about this place is that the only seating option was low, backless stools. There s only one dessert on the menu, the Tokyo toast, but it s all they need because it is so delicious we had to order two!

A must try charming spot with an excellent menu of small plates to share at an affordable price The menu is made up of mainly small plates and some larger dishes, perfect for sharing to try as many options as possible. Everything we tried was honestly really good with some stand outs including the sashimi, karaage chicken and curry spring rolls. The flavors are rich and leave you very satisfied. The spot is very charming and viby. Its small but quaint with a lot of character, perfect for a date night. Their drinks are also a plus with a wide selection of different cocktails and sake related drinks.

Really unhappy with my experience. Emailed a week and a half early to make sure there were items on the menu my friend could eat (she has a gluten/dairy allergy). The menu isn t available on their website, super inconvenient for people who have dietary restrictions. I didn t get any email response and when we came in we found out she could only eat 3 of the really small dishes, one being plain sashimi. What s the point of adding an email for contact if nobody on their end is responding? Very disappointing, if I had known we would have chosen somewhere with more options. Dietary restrictions: Very little options for gluten allergies and menu isn t available online for people to look at in advance. Contact email is unresponsive if anybody wants to check in advance.

Delicious and affordable. Staff are very pleasant

So much flavor in each dish, tried to deconstruct the ingredients used in each tasty morsel. Definitely will come back & recommend.

Very well executed food, impeccable service, 10/10. Can t wait to go back!

Great food and better service!

Amazing all around! Fantastic service and we had to get two orders of the Tokyo toast!

5 stars across all categories. What a cute intimate spot - perfect for date night or a special occasion. The dishes are really well balanced and the servers are super knowledgeable and friendly. They are often booked out so make a reservation in advance. Excellent fish quality and very nice variety of dishes. One of my fave dinner spots in Toronto. Also don t skip out on the cocktails they are fantastic!

Some of the best Japanese ever! Unique and amazing dishes, order everything on the menu. Cocktails are also great! Environment, service, along with food and drink quality are all top notch.

Honestly the best restaurant in Toronto. Nothing else needs to be said.

Service is rude considering the 20% recommended minimum tip

Most of the food is great! The fried corn, snapper carpaccio, and Tokyo toast were my favourite. You could skip on the pork belly though. Service is usually decent, though one time I called in and the lady said I can come in at 10 but when I did I was told they were no longer accepting customers. Other than that, great date night spot!

Was excited to come here, but when calling to make a reservation we dealt with an incredibly rude staff member. She seemed annoyed at having to take a call, told us we shouldn t expect to get a reservation same day (we didn t expect it but thought we d try) and then said she was having trouble hearing me because her background was so loud (perhaps have a phone away from all the action?). I tried to speak up and was met with if I can t hear you I can t help you . I hung up; will find a Japanese restaurant with actual Japanese service.

A small cosy shop just due west of Trinity-Bellwoods park. The server(s) were all super friendly and had great recommendations for both food and drink. The space was a little cramped (to be expected for the building footprint), so expect to be able to hear the conversations of those around you. Food was all fantastic - the monkfish liver wasn t too fishy (and served on the most amazing toast), and the anchovy potato salad wasn t super umami and unique (not the mayo packed, super creamy kind). The beef curry was great, but had next to no meat in it; this is the reason I knocked a star off the review). Dessert toast is to die for - just get it.

Truly such a special spot for Toronto. Excellent food, amazing service, wonderful atmosphere.

Great food great service great prices

A very warm and intimate atmosphere with amazing service. The interior seems like an accurate representation izakayas in Japan. We ordered the Suntory Hi whisky cocktail and it was very refreshing with a nice citrus kick. In terms of food, the corn kakiage and tokyo toast were incredible. Both were crunchy and had just the right amount of seasoning to improve it from good to great. However, I found the other dishes we ordered a little disappointing. The saba miso-ni was slightly overcooked resulting in the meat being tough to chew. The beef curry also lacked beef with only 2 small pieces of meat in the bowl. The ribs were good but I found the sauce a little overpowering.

Food and drinks were delicious. Such a cozy place to enjoy tapas style Japanese fusion food. Would def come back!

Consistently delicious!!! Def my fav Izakaya.

Great food always Get the monkfish liver pâté

Every dish was amazing! Our waiter was great as well, the restaurant was busy but he was attentive whenever we needed him. Cannot wait to go again.

Food is ok but the service is astonishingly poor. We had a 9:45 reservation on a Friday night. At 11:15 while still eating we were given the bill and told Its been a long night for us, how about we get you boxes to take the rest of your food to go?. We were in shock, and this is after spending over $100 per person on food and drinks. I see now on google maps that they close at 11pm. If thats the case they never should have accepted a 9:45 reservation in the first place.

Very disappointed. It s already two times that I called before I go there, and nobody pickup the phone. After I go there, the server just ignores me. After a while, the server came back and tell me they are fully booked. I feel like they are really mean to customers(e.g. not picking up calls at all + just keep you stand there waiting) and a little bit racist (I m Asian. There are bar seats available but the server just want me leave the restaurant ASAP). I understand you guys are popular right now so you don t care about walk in client only focusing on reservations, but Toronto is a big city and new restaurant pop up every once and a while. We have seen many fabulous chic restaurants closed down recently (e.g. momofuku, ascari .). If you guys really want to keep the business running, it is not the correct attitude.

Delicious food and the most thoughtful, sincere service you can find anywhere. One of my favourite restaurants in the city. I love the snapper, potato salad, and the corn. All the servers are excellent but Jay was a real standout for me. He s a true professional: warm, efficient, approachable - all around wonderful experiences here.

Very nice ambiance. the purple ice cream with the fried bao is a must get aka tokyo toast .

Food was great, service was awful

Such a cute spot and yummy food. Casual Japanese done well. I ll def come back.

Best restaurant in the city right now

Ive been to so many Japanese restaurants in Toronto but this one was so different. The restaurant was super cute, the staff were SUPER friendly. and the menu, everything we ordered came out AMAING. like I cant described how good this food was. I will definitely go to this place every 2 weeks without a doubt

(Un)fortunately, didn t get to try the food. Left the door after being reprimanded by the condescending server for showing up 5 minutes after she called. Was asked to sit by the (non-enclosed) dishwashing/prep area on high stools with wall shelves as table . Server refused to provide table seating (2 tables were free at front of house). Also, server firmly stated: no waiting in store, you have to exit the store and wait on the streets even when there are chairs by the door for seating. Will we return? Definitely not! Unless you enjoy having a condescending experience to make you feel inferior, pls make your reservation.

The hippest place in the world. The food was good... I complained that the portions were small, but in the end, I ordered two more drinks before leaving with my stomach pounding. Highball... It was my first time drinking it and it tasted a bit like chemicals. The server king was friendly. Recommended if you want a hip Japanese pub. The bathroom is very small and precious. You can wink with the other person while opening the door and coming out. My friend told me that there was an oriental scent in the bathroom, but it seemed like a mixture of incense and basement smell.

Outstanding selection of food and drinks

Absolutely delicious. I went there last week and I m still thinking about it.

Pretty good food but poor service. The server was unpleasant through the entire experience.

Absolute banger of food , ambience and hospitality. Imanishi is one of my favs in the city. The wait staff are super friendly and recommended things to eat. Besides the drinks. We had the monkfish pate , the Karage chicken , corn kakiage and the house potato salad !! They had ran out the potato salad - but the wait staff then told us the chef could give us half a portion!! It was my favourite dish of the night. We ended it off with the toast and it was delicious!! You have to try Imanishi if you haven t!!

Food was good. It reminded me of a Guu. The quality of the food for the price was great! Loved the Tai carpaccio and the Katsu curry. Wished they had a more evolved dessert menu. Nevertheless will certainly go back!

I don t normally leave reviews but our server s attitude was on another level. Food was great, and this review would be 5 stars if it weren t for our miserable server.

This is my second time here. Our waiter Kareem was amazing. We asked him to order for us and bring out his favourite dishes. We were not disappointed!!!

An excellent restaurant in every facet. Food was incredible, ambiance is cute, and service is attentive. I did not eat a dish I did not enjoy, but my personal standouts were the gyudon, the agedashi eggplant, and the corn kakiage. Menu changes every so often but I wouldnt be worried about ordering anything here. One of my favourite restaurants in the city. For four people, it was about $230 including tax and tips.

Service, food, vibe all top notch. My partner and I had a wicked date night here.

Everything we tried was amazing. Not too expensive either.

Perfect place to hangout with friends and enjoy good food and drinks

DO NOT GO HERE!!! Unless you want a fantastic time... Book it far in advance and sit at the bar to watch the drink magic happen. Food : 5/5

Great food, great service, and great atmosphere. Each of the small dishes were unique, drinks were good, and the music was just the right volume for us to be able to have a conversation. Will definitely come back soon!

Amazing food and great service! Must get the Tokyo Toast, it s the reason I ll keep coming back

Was super excited to try their food and see what the hype is about since it is blowing up on the internet. However, it is astonishing how garbage the service can be for a spot that is blowing up and deterred us from the restaurant that day without plans on coming back ever again. This particular waitress was giving attitude on the phone already when we tried to make a reservation but we decided it was whatever and still booked it. We tried calling a few times before the restaurant to ask about something but there was no pick up which is understandable since it is busy but still kind of adds onto the whole experience. Then when we got to the restaurant itself, there was a couple that was waiting in front of us who were walk in and she gave seats to them and serviced them first even though we had a reservation. And then she proceed to tell us that we were late and would not seat us without even checking and turned her back on us. There was no conversation, the entire talk lasted 5 seconds. This woman was unprofessional and rude. The entire time she talked in a demeaning tone. I dont want to bring race into this but like we were definitely treated differently, which resulted in us just walking out. I would have loved to try the food but it is just crazy to me how service can be this bad to paying customers.

There was only one dessert on the menu but it was the best one! Tokyo Toast was so delicious. Hot crispy toast with cold soft Taro ice cream - big contrast tasting textures. Food : 5/5

one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Toronto, they curry is the best i have had in town and have not found another place that competes. Overall great plates, with beautiful presentation. Cute little restaurant, definitely recommend you drop by! update: visited recently, the pork katsu was no longer in their menu, hoping it s a seasonality issue and not a permanent change, as that was a delicious plate! portions may have gotten smaller, but overall the flavour was great!

The food was good and the atmosphere is just like another hip busy place on Dundas. The waitress who got our name down was welcoming and professional. But holy the waiter s attitude! He was disrespectful. And by default the expectation to give 20-25% tip is just another level

Hands down best Japanese restaurant in Toronto. Service is always awesome, drinks great and the food is fantastic. I just went to Japan this past April and the sashimi is very fresh and comparable here. They recently changed some of the menu items but still amazing. Also, make a reso or you will miss out. Must eats: - gai lan gomaee (switched to asparagus recently but still delicious) - prawn & cilantro salad - curry spring rolls my fav - ribs and saba miso fish - yuzu sparkling lemonade (non alcoholic) - dessert is yum too - chicken nanban (recently taken off menu but delicious) Do not reco: - eggplant since cold and underwhelming

I ve been meaning to try out Imanishi for a while and was super glad to have had a chance to stop by this week! I tried their seasonal sashimi which came with tuna, snapper, and ebi. The ebi really stole the dish, the flavour absolutely popped off! I also tried their corn kakiage, which was absolutely amazing. The crunch coupled with the juiciness of the corn was the perfect combo, it didn t feel overly heavy. As for my main, I had a hard time deciding between the ramen and the gyudon but ended up going the gyudon route. The beef was fatty, melt in your mouth, and flavoured the rice well. The highlight is the Tokyo Toast, which was fried milk bread topped with ice cream. Absolute best way to end the meal, make sure you save room for this dessert!

YUM. The food here here was phenomenal. My husband and I shared 5 smaller dishes and then 2 main dishes and everything we ate was delicious. Our favorites were the pickles, tofu and mizuna salad, the tebaskai wings and the spicy ramen. Would love to return and try the other dishes.

Best food ever!!!!!!

The female waiter with bun couldn t be more rude and unprofessional.

Good service, underwhelming food aside from the dessert.

Real good selection of small plates. Service was amazing! Really recommend coming here with some friends

Amazing amazing spot for dinner. Whether youre a group of six or just two Imanishi will not disappoint. Really friendly service, really cool room. Great selection of dishes & sharing plates and super well priced! Super rad! I wish I wouldve tried more sake (:

This was such a delightful evening. I was late to my reservation but they fully accommodated me, letting me know that they did have a table immediately after me. I showed up and we got our orders in promptly. The server helped us out a bunch with our meal because otherwise we would ve eaten everything and been wayyy too full. Always get between 4-5 dishes they said. Our cocktails were amazing and you know what else? I left happier than I went in so that s a bonus. Delicious meal.

Drinks and food was great, the service was immaculately attentive and knowledgeable of the menu.

Imanishi is a great place to try many great dishes. For the two of us, we ordered: Monkfish liver patek Prawn Cilantro salad Anchovie potato salad with taro chips Gyudon Chicken Karaage Corn Kakiage (twice) Prawn Noodle Salad (feature of the day) Yuzu Lemonade Takara Plum wine x 3 and everything was delicious. Staff is friendly. Bill came to approx $150 before tip.

The spot is unreal but dont tell people let it be our secret

Unique and tasty dishes. My favourite is the dessert

The food here has improved appreciably over the past year. Flavour combinations have sharpened and tightened. Everything we had was first rate. Miso soup, sashimi (especially scallop), coriander/prawn salad, potato/anchovy salad, chicken karaage, gyudon, beef curry and Tokyo toast. Even lowly cucumbers were transformed into something sublime in the pickle plate. Staff in the kitchen know what they re doing. Sake offerings are delicious and thought provoking. Music is chic. Service is attentive. Space is tight. But I guess it adds to atmosphere.

Vegetarian options: There are a few vegetarian options but the portions are so small you may need to order 4 dishes per person which will be a ridiculous price for the food. Food

Good Japanese food, but I expected a little better. The ribs were too sweet and some dishes lacked something special. I would go back to try different dishes.

Firstly, the restaurant is really small and the tables are close together. You will be eavesdropping on everyone s conversations. Food was good but didn t feel like anything special. Corn kakiage was hyped up but ultimately fell flat for me; it was simple, tasting like how you d expect and felt overpriced at $9 for 1.5 pieces. Enjoyed the tokyo toast for dessert but reminded me of a funnel cake with ice cream: good but nothing crazy. The server was not good. He was pushy to my table and the next about deciding on orders. When we ordered, he told us to keep the menu but threw it on the bench beside my friend. The level of casual came across as uncaring and unprofessional.

My favourite Izakaya downtown. Great food and great atmosphere. Very busy. Make reservations ahead of time. Spots fill quickly.

that wagyu gyudon hits DIFFERENT

Food was impeccable. Excellent service and atmosphere. Would come here again for special occasions.

Overall food was good and the main dining area has a very nice ambience. The ending was soured as my partner and I both saw a mouse on the staircase heading to the washroom. We informed our server but was unsure what happened with the information. It didnt appear to be taken seriously.

So delicious! Can t wait to come back! Get the pork ribs with the glaze, they will change your life and I m not being dramatic. The Tokyo toast for dessert was so delicious. Loved everything we ate! And we sat at the bar which made for. Nice atmosphere.

Small dishes but I wasn t happy that half the menu wasn t available. I d still recommend as the food was delicious. Try the eggplant appetizer.

Night out with 3 other friends. We shared a lot of the item on the menu. Everything was delicious. The service was fast and nice and ready to give you recommandations at anytime. A little price for the size of some dish but was so yummy.

What a lovely spot. Picking different dishes to share with friends is always a nice experience. The bill adds up quickly however so be careful. Desert was lovely, Id come here again.

Fun casual spot for shareable Japanese eats. The Gyudon was my favorite and the Corn Kakiage was also very memorable. Great Japanese beer too. Would recommend for groups of 2-6.

This was a magical experience on my last evening in Toronto. I had this place marked for over a year and every time I visited it was booked. This time I thought I had gotten a reservation but it bumped me to next week. The staff were so kind they squeezed us in, we ordered quickly and enjoyed every single bite, especially loved the tako celery, corn kakiage, the curry, and the dessert! . I loveeee this style of Japanese food and my name is Imani so this place felt like heaven thank youuuuuu !!

My favourite spot in the city, and somewhere I ve been going since 2017. Whenever I go here, I know I m going to have amazing food, good experience and the warm homey atmosphere imanishi is known for. Perfect for date night, drinks with friends or even a quick solo curry or Katsu. Cannot recommend this place enough.

Best karaage and best gyudon Ive had in Toronto! Also really enjoyed the whiskey highball they make. This place is always busy, so be sure to reserve in advance. Dietary restrictions: No peanuts in their kitchen

Such a delicious dinner, every dish we tried was so tasty. Can t wait to go back and try more, and eat the same dishes again. The highlights were the Tai Carpaccio and Karashi Ribs. The ribs just fell apart and melted in my mouth. Definitely recommend trying the Tokyo Toast for dessert, it s amazing.

Incredible food and best service I ve had in Toronto! Amazing sake selection as well ( and very knowledgeable staff).

Such an excellent experience! Terrific fresh trio of sashimi. Tasty curry and rice. Lots of interesting Japanese gins and whiskeys. My only complaint is that the stools seating is really uncomfortable.

Theres a lot of restaurants in Toronto but theres only a few like imanishi! What fantastic food, drinks and service! I cannot wait to be back!

Coming to Imanishi is always such a treat! Cozy atmosphere, welcoming and warm servers and service, I absolutely cannot recommend this place enough. Dishes are snack sized portions, allowing to try different dishes and share among you and friends. Sooooo many gems on the menu, some of my absolute favourites are the KARASHI RIBS, TOKYO TOAST, PRAWN AND CILANTRO SALAD, BEEF TATAKI, TAI CARPACCIO, and CORN KAKIAGE. There are truly many more, the menu has so much to offer!

This place rocks

It s a dark, date night, vibe inside. Service was good and vibes were right. It feels like they put thought into how the food comes out because it was spaced well given the tapas style plates. We got the sashimi plate, octopus, shrimp salad, the fried corn and the anchovy toast. Everything tasted great but nothing tasted outstanding and made us think wow we need to come back for this . My favourite was the shrimp salad. It was really fresh with the cilantro and cucumbers. Second favourite was the corn because I ve never had that before and it had great texture and crunch.

Good experience and great atmosphere! Ordered: - Corn Kakiage (a must!!) - Tai Carpaccio (very fresh) - Monkfish Liver Pate - Pickles (light + great side dish) - Nagoya Ramen (it was good but nothing outstanding to me; I wouldn t get it again) - Karashi Ribs (yummy & tender but sweet) - Tebasaki (delicious!) - Imanishi Beef Curry - Tokyo Toast The waiter saw that we had some pate leftover but no bread so he offered to bring more and we accepted, BUT we didn t know that we d be charged for those 4.5 thin pieces until we saw the bill (a heads up would ve been nice, especially considering it was barely any bread anyway). Overall nice place to eat with friends especially if you enjoy sharing food.

been wanting to try this place for a while and it was worth the hype! was super super happy with everything. the food, service and vibe of it was top tier. shared everything amongst 3 people and it was about $55~/person + tip. the corn kaarage was sweet and salty and crispy. the pickles were very refreshing. the star of the show were the ceviche and the pate! i loved combining the two for a bruschetta vibe. we also had chicken wings, ramen and curry. they were all soso flavourful, tasty and had a great texture. tokyo toast was also amazing! creamy but light and crispy from the toast.

If I could give 6 stars out of 5 I would

Wonderful japanese food in an intimate setting, highlights for me are the wings, corn tempura, ribs, and the dessert!

I genuinely will not shut up about how much I loved this place. The ambiance! The music isn t too loud and you can actually talk. The staff are kind and friendly. The food is mind blowing and the cocktails are fun. Be back soon!

Finally got around to trying this spot and it lived up to the hype. The food was delicious, the atmosphere nice and warm. I would go back and order everything again, minus the tofu & mizuna salad which I felt was a bit underwhelming.

Everything at Imanishi is delicious! Don t skip out on the dessert - the perfect way to end an excellent meal!

Great food, nice vibe, and kind servers! We will be going back :) Food

new favourite restaurant

Cute place for tapas style food. Favourite dish are the gomae and corn korroke. The sake is a bit overpriced but does pair well with the food.

Warm staff & exceptional food. Have this spot on your list.

one of my favourite spots in the city! cozy atmosphere and amazing food. highly recommend getting the tokyo toast with taro ice cream :)

Price is high, but the flavor and variety make up for it. Highly recommend the monkfish liver pate

Love the vibe and delicious dishes. Must try. Food

Reserved a spot and came here on a Tuesday night. The vibe of the restaurant would be perfect for a date night, with candle lights on each table. My top 3: Eggplant, Curry (it was a tie between curry and tai carpaccio), and Tokyo Toast Sashimi ($32 for 9 pieces) It came with Hamachi, Scallop, and Snapper. The pieces were tasty and fresh. It felt a bit expensive, but they were good. Cold Served Agedashi Eggplant ($9) I love eggplant, so I made sure to order this. My friend who wasnt too keen on ordering this said it was the highlight of the dinner. lol It was well soaked in dashi broth, well cooked, and tasted quite delicate but very tasty. Gailan Gomaae ($9) I liked how cooked the gailan was (not overly cooked with a nice crunch), but it tasted a bit too vinegar-y for a gomaae. Im pretty sure its because of the dressing they use, but I would probably not order it again. Beef Tataki ($21) The beef seemed a bit too cooked, and the fried chickpea added for a nice presentation, but was very dry and crusty for it to go with the dish personally. Tai Carpaccio ($19) This went REALLY well with the vinaigrette and salsa. I liked it much more than the tataki. Anchovy Potato Salad & Chips ($10) Great price. The anchovy taste was quite faint, and I found the potato chunks to be too big. I liked the idea of adding the taro chips, but I would want a potato salad thats a bit more flavorful and perhaps creamy. Corn Kakiage ($9) It was good. I love corn and I love kakiage in general, so seeing the reviews, I was definitely overly hyped about it. But it tasted like it looks. I do wish there was a bit more corn. Tebasaki ($15) Great value and pretty solid taste. The meat was quite juicy as well. Saba Miso-ni ($13) I was surprised by how much I got for $13. It was also very well cooked and the sauce was great. Karashi Ribs ($16) The meat was tender, juicy, and fell off the bone with ease. While, I thought this would be my highlight, the karashi mustard overpowered the dish a bit. Pork Belly Miso Katsu ($16) It was good. I personally liked it more than the tebasaki, but it might be because I am very used to the taste of the tebasaki since Ive made similar ones at home. Gyudon ($15) It was good but nothing special. The price was good but felt more expensive than the other dishes we ordered. Imanishi Beef Curry ($15) Great fruity Japanese curry gravy. I loved it. I just wish they put more beef chunks as it was hard to find the chunks. Tokyo Toast ($9) This was definitely one of my favorite. I did not expect it to be that good. The toast was a bit crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, with a nice combination of icecream and the texture and taste of toasted soba. I found this place to be a very affordable place for the quality of food you get as well. Im also glad that they were transparent about how many pieces comes with each dish. And how the server was telling us it might be too much food for us when we initially ordered, and explored food menu options that might be better for the first round of ordering. They were also very prompt in changing the dirty plates for us as well.

Great neighborhood spot, not pretentious but great food and vibe and the service is awesome.

Cozy atmosphere, perfect for intimate dates but not so much big group hangouts. Space is pretty tight, and their under the seat baskets for your belongings is appreciated. Prices are on the higher end, but for the taste and quality, I think its pretty justified. They have nice cocktails, and a good selection of sake. The sashimi, curry and the skewers were very tasty, skip the pickles-they are not impressive, but the best ones, the ones I recommend, would be the miso mackerel and the Tokyo toast- so good! Took one star off of service because while the staff was courteous and communicative when serving you, it was pretty difficult to catch their attention in the first place. All in all, its a good place to try.

Holy cow, this place is amazing! Booked a resy thru Yelp for 745 after checking earlier in the week that the earliest booking was at 930 when a foodie friend recod this place. After jumping in an Uber otw got a ring that it was a mistake and that they only had 930 so we kept our resy and Im so glad we did. Their facade is lowkey so we walked right by it but upon entering Jay? knew we were the 930 resy and guided us to our seat. We were welcomed with some sake and went thru the menu and ordered a bunch of stuff we saw was appealing plus took a few of their recommendations. Every-thing-was-delicious. The sashimi was fresh, sweet and the perfect temperature. The monkfish pate was one of my favorite dishes and you could literally smear that on anything and it would be yummy. The corn fritter is a must-order. Ebi fry was plump and crispy for the perfect contrast of texture. Anchovy potato salad? Who knew that could be good but it was. They even came to us with extra chips to scoop up all the monkfish and potato salad. The Chinese broccoli with was a perfect change up and those ribs. Damn they were tender as could possibly be. I didnt feel full despite basically ordering a mini tasting menu. Still had room for 2 rounds of cocktails. Service is stellar. Everyone who came by to educate, offer, bus, replace plates, get us water and offer us a complimentary shot (thanks Jay!) for probably the revised resy was perfect. Im happy I kept the time. If youre here in the area, eat here! The vibes are dope, the people are awesome and the food is sick. Will definitely be the eff back!