Are you craving authentic Japanese cuisine? Want to know where to find the best Japanese food in Vancouver? As you know, there are a wide variety of different Japanese restaurants in Vancouver but only a few tend to stick out to foodies. Form the tasty Sake-Tei, Sushi and Sashimi to the incredible Teishoku meals. You can find them all in the top 5 Japanese restaurants below.

1. Guu

In case you don’t know already, an izakaya is a type of informal Japanese pub. Currently, Guu is the most famous Izakaya franchise in Vancouver. In fact, Guu was the very first Izakaya established in Vancouver! There are 5 Guu izakayas in Vancouver, each of which offers its own specialty. For instance, “Guu original” is known for their yummy Yaki Udon & Oden. While “Guu with Garlic” offers classic Izakaya dishes but with a garlic infusion in each dish, giving it an exciting twist. So if you are looking for the authentic Izakaya experience with an added twist, visit one of the Guu locations unless you are willing to travel all the way to Japan. Moreover, each meal at Guu’s locations is made to impress you with its’ taste and look. To give you an idea, you can enjoy their freshly made lunch plates or head there at night to experience the true Izakaya food and drinks.

• Address:
  • Guu Original on Thurlow: 838 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 1W2
  • Guu ​with Garlic: 1698 Robson Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6G 1C7
  • Guu with Otokomae: #105-375 Water Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5C6
  • Guu Garden: M101-888 Nelson Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2H2
  • Guu Davie: 1239 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 1N4
• More info: Guu

2. Samurai Japanese Restaurant

Affordable food that’s made with fresh ingredients and comes in generous portions? What’s not to like! At Samurai you can guarantee yourself a delicious meal that will not break your wallet. Hence why this is the perfect spot if want to order food for pick up or if you are looking for a quick sushi and sashimi run. Their sashimis’  are highly recommended as they are known to be fresh and come in large individual pieces.

• Address:
  • 1108 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1N1
  • 6428 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W 3A6
• More info: Samurai Japanese Restaurant

3. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Gyu-Kaku is a “yakiniku” restaurant franchise that was first established by Rex Holdings Japan. What makes Gyu-Kaku restaurants exciting is that they allow the customer to cook the BBQ food themselves. Thus, Gyu-Kaku offers customers the chance to cook a variety of meats such as cuts of beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and desserts. Luckily, the in-table roasters are designed to vent smoke through forced air openings built that are built-in. What’s more, this infamous food spot features lots of happy hour deals and serves some of the most delicious Japanese BBQ meats ever. So head on down to Gyu-Kaku and create your own tasty BBQ combo.

• Address:
  • G3-888 Nelson St., Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H
  • #201-950 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1K7
• More info: Gyu-Kaku

4. Raisu

Overseen by former Kingyo chef Shogo Takenaka, Raisu specializes in teishoku, a set meal of fried meat cutlets or fish, served on a tray that comes with rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables. In addition, Raisu also offers bento boxes, udon noodles, sizzling hot-stone rice bowls and a variety of sushi platters. The chefs prepare each dish with Japanese traditions of cooking in mind and each dish comes in affordable portion sizes. What’s more, Raisu is known for its tasty izakaya meals and fast serving time.

• Location: 2340 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6K 1P1
• More info: Raisu

5. Miku

Last but not least on our list is the fanciest Japanese restaurant Vancouver has seen to this day. Miku’s Executive Chefs Kazuya Matsuoka and Kazuhiro Hayashi only use fresh, regional ingredients as well as Ocean Wise seafood options to showcase the best of what Vancouver has to offer.

• Location: 200 Granville St # 70, Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4
• More info: Miku Restaurant

Everyone loves a good Japanese meal. From the fresh seasonal ingredients, the tasty side dishes to the miso soup, etc. all make you want to eat more and more. Whether you are looking for a quick sushi lunch or a proper Izakaya night, our guide to Vancouver’s best Japanese restaurants has got you covered.