Imanishi Japanese Kitchen

“It’s a lovely spot with great service and a bubbly atmosphere that feels very much like Toronto. The food was exceptional. 4 cocktails. The plum wine negroni was exceptional. The plates are small shareable. Japanese tapas. But they’re all exceptional in their way. The sashimi was fresh and beautiful. The corn Karage is a must get. It’s sweet and salty and crunchy. My friend and I commented we could snack on that all night. The liver pate was soft and whipped. The beef tataki was good. But the stand out was the pork belly katsu. I could have eaten 3 more plates. The bill was on the higher end, but well worth it. It was a lovely experience and I’ll definitely be back. Note that reservations are important and there is a fee for no shows. No shade, I get it.”

“Retro Japanese izakaya in Little Portugal hits the spot with refined hot and cold plates, ideal for sharing. Service was excellent, efficient and friendly even though we rocked up without a booking. Cosy street vibes, but be forewarned the seating is only on stools (no back support). Thoughtful flavour combinations on the drinks and dishes. Cold plates will come out first, then warm plates follow. We had a wonderful meal with 7 plates between 2 people, and 3 drinks each!”

“Food 5/5 Service 4/5 Vibe 5/5 Another hidden Japanese style reso GEM in Toronto DT. I have really high hopes as it was a MISSION to get a reservation, and they did not disappoint. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 My personal fav was the toast dessert, liver paste with garlic toast and corns tempura. I feel a lot of dishes are a mix of Japanese and chinese culture (but not 100% sure), but everyone was a seller! Love, yum and want more b Overall 5/5! definitely coming back and trying out more dishes! #eatwithclaw”

“Cool vibes & drinks with SMALL plates. Love the Tokyo toast ($10) deep fried thick toast with two scoops of taro ice cream and some crunchy toasted soba (feels like corn flakes). Tried a few other small plates and I mean they’re SMALL small. Karachi ribs was tender and flavourful. Can’t remember the rest because they were quite forgettable honestly. Unfortunately the rotational feature, a deep fried octopus, was kinda soggy and there wasn’t much flavour. The powder on the side also added absolutely nothing to the dish. Drinks are quite good, I’d recommend the Kuchibeni ($17) with vodka, calico, and strawberry. The Shochu Highballs were quite strong, the oolong one tastes like watery tea spiked with hard alcohol. I think for 3 people, 3 drinks each, and 3 small dishes, total was about $250. Staff were friendly and attentive! Love the old school artsy Japanese hole in the wall wooden decor aesthetic. Fun place for drinks and to soak up the vibes, and maybe be a bit more selective on the dishes.”

“Came here for dinner. We were seated quickly as we had a reservation. Service throughout the meal was good. Started with the hamachi sashimi which was fresh. Beef tataki was unfortunately quite chewy. Tai carpaccio was great, red snapper was fresh and the dish was light and refreshing. Our favourite dish was the prawn and cilantro salad- the dressing was unique and fantastic. Gyudon had a good amount of wagyu but the flavour was just average. Karashi ribs were very tender but the sauce tasted similar to bottled BBQ sauce from the store. Tokyo toast was amazing, must-order dessert to end off the meal.”