Masayoshi

I have visited Masayoshi four times over the past several years (prior to and after its Michelin recognition) and it never fails to delight. The staff is friendly, the service is attentive, and the ambiance is relaxed and unpretentious. But the real star is the food. Absolutely some of the best, most complex and subtle things I've ever tasted, expertly prepared and presented. On earlier visits I would request suggestions about sake pairings and order several servings, but was happy to see that they now offer a sake pairings option that provides even more variety and tastes and textures that complement one, two, or three specific dishes.

Every time I come here, I have one of the best meals I have ever had. The friends I have brought with me have said similarly. This is a special place that I relish returning to once or twice a year, and absolutely my favourite restaurant in Vancouver.

Sitting at the bar watching Chef work was an amazing experience. Absolutely loved their tofu cheesecake, chawanmushi, and baby eel shot.

We decided to dine here on a Thursday evening, opting for the earliest time slot. The restaurant is small and quaint, with only two other groups besides us. Despite the cozy atmosphere, our experience lasted 2 1/2 hours. It was a rainy and cold evening, and we were the only patrons, with no new arrivals for the later time slots.

While some items didn't quite meet my expectations, despite the restaurant boasting a Michelin star. For example, the egg tamago lacked the fluffiness and delicacy I've experienced at other omakase dining spots. Unfortunately, even the softest, melt-in-your-mouth o-toro nigiri had an inedible stringy vein that I discreetly had to remove.

Excellent attentive servers! I hope they are compensated well!!!!! I'm glad we tried, and I'm not inclined to return.

If you've never experienced omakase before, I would still recommend trying this place and comparing it with others. It's a great way to explore and appreciate different styles and flavors of Japanese cuisine.

I had experienced Masayoshi when it opened in 2015, and it was an amazing experience, There were three types of omakase to choose from, and the food was amazing. I returned recently after the restaurant had received its first Michelin star. The space had changed. The sushi bar was expanded and the table seating reduced, and there is now only the nigiri omakase available on the menu.

These changes have made the experience of eating at Masayoshi even better! The meal was focused on creating a range of tastes and experiences. With this sitting, we were treated to twenty different dishes, and everyone of them was so delicious and satisfying. Being able t watch Chef Masayoshi perform his artistry at the sushi bar made the whole experience even better. I appreciated his skill and focus to detail.

The food was sublime. You always worry that when experiencing something like omakase, you come across something that you won't like, but nothing about our meal was off. Even things that my partner and I normally are not fussy about turned out to be more than just enjoyable--it was delicious. My partner hates eggplant, but the eggplant dish was so good she ate it with gusto. I'm not a big fan of raw mackerel, but the mackerel cope he made was superb.

The highlight was, of course, the sushi. Each piece was served to each quest by Chef Masayoshi, and each bite was an experience. This sushi served as it should be. No need for soya sauce and wasabi dip. The sushi is flavoured perfectly. (I highly recommend you eat everything with your fingers. The restaurant provides a little towel in a box for you to clean your fingers with each new piece.) The fatty tuna is to die for, and the Hokkaido uni was the best uni I have ever tasted.

My partner and I got the sake tasting to go with our peal, and it was the best choice we could have made. Everything complimented the food perfectly, and enhanced the flavours in a way that elevated the experience. It's a lot of sake, and we wisely chose to share a tasting.

Eating at Masayoshi was something I will never forget. It is the best meal I have ever had.

I love it here.

I managed to score a last-minute reservation for their 2nd seating on Friday night. I usually go to their 1st seating time but I felt the 2nd seating at 8pm was more laid-back and intimate.

Here in East Van, Chef Masayoshi Baba has created an experience that's quite special. You can see it in the thoughtfully selected tableware, the high-quality ingredients, the attentive service and the Chef's artistry as the meal comes together.

The evening begins with a selection of beverages on a QR code menu - I recommend the Sake sampler and later on some Green tea. While some beers and spirits were still unavailable due to the BC Liquor Distribution strike a few months ago, you should be able to find something.

Sit back and enjoy watching the Chef slice through fresh fish expertly with a knife that looks like a sword. While the first few dishes in your Omakase experience are eaten with chopsticks, you graduate to using your fingers to eat. Each type of fish was specially selected and the Chef is happy to answer questions about where the fish is from or what ingredients were used. Note that a Caviar (Northern Divine) option for an additional charge is presented during the meal and you are given several choices of how to have it placed - we splurged for it on the Toro (Tuna) only which seemed to be the most optimal. This add-on may not be for everyone, though. Also I want to note that there were 2 Uni (Sea Urchin) presentations - which I LOVED.

To finish, the deconstructed Apple dessert was super creative and had such a variety of texture it was incredible. The Hojicha ice cream on top was an excellent accompaniment.

This is a solid Japanese meal worthy of your time and money. I'm incredibly grateful to have been able to experience the Omakase at Masayoshi.

This is our second time here, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The service was fantastic and friendly, the food delicious.

Was it the "best" sushi in Vancouver? No. But at $195/pp for their omakase tasting menu, it is definitely an EXCELLENT value for high-end Japanese food.

I would definitely go again for a special occasion as it is a fun way to eat - sitting at the bar, watching the magic happen, chatting with fellow diners.

This has been touted as the best omakase in Vancouver. And you know what? They are right!

This was a wonderful omakase experience with absolute attention by the chef. You can see and taste the precision and concentration for every piece we were served. I definitely suggest ordering sake so that they can show you their beautiful set of unique sake cups that you can choose from. Easily the best sushi experience I've had in Vancouver.

It's disappointing to see Masayoshi, once renowned for its attention to detail and commitment to authenticity, shift its focus. The restaurant now seems to cater more to tourists, influenced by its Michelin star recognition--a standard it appears to struggle to uphold. Particularly, the beverage offerings fall short of what one would expect from a premium omakase restaurant. The unconventional choice of serving sake in shot glasses deviates from tradition, diminishing the meal's elegance.

Moreover, upselling practices, like suggesting an $80 caviar addition, strike me as somewhat tacky. Incorporating such extras overshadow the delicate flavor of the sushi, a move that feels out of place in an authentic Japanese establishment. A genuine chef would likely focus on allowing the natural flavors to shine, emphasizing the integrity and simplicity of traditional Japanese cuisine.

Don't come here. I think Michelin should consider who they should give out the Michelin. I don't even want to give 1 star but this is the lowest I can give them so I click 1 star.. The worst omakase ever I had.. I had over 1000 omakase experience in my life and never saw place charge $25 for the wasabi even in best place in Japan they don't charge this.. I don't even want to write a review and waste my energy. Just one time.. Will never return and I am pretty sure they will close down soon..

The kaiseki portion was nice but the sushi portion was my favorite. Many of the pieces were buttery and the brown rice nicely complimented the fish pieces.