Shinobu Sushi

My dad was at a meeting and my mum wasn’t in the mood to cook so she invited me to Shinobu. This place is T I N Y so I would highly encourage you to make a reservation. The menu is pretty compact, but it’s a good place to go if you’re just craving some Japanese food. They have lunch sets, but the dinner menu seemed to have mostly sushi sets and other non-​sushi items a la carte.
We ordered a number of small dishes and I would recommend them all:
— Nasu Dengaku (generous portion)
— Nanban Chicken (small size was perfect for 2 people)
— Ebi Mayo
— Yakiniku Salad
Shinobu is close to home so I’ll definitely go again when I’m in the mood for Japanese, but not in the mood to travel downtown.
Good for: Japanese, sushi

It is all Japan. Good quality food. Nice service.For sure to come here again to try other things!!!

The food here is spectacular! Don’t dismiss it just because of its appearance. It may look shabby, but the food is definitely worth it. I came here with my family for dinner and we tried many dishes. The sashimi was fresh and the hot appetizers tasted very authentic. My favorites were the spicy shrimp tempura and the pork tempura. Service was average and the price was reasonable. Only reason I took a star off was because of the environment, very shabby. Otherwise it’s a great place for a casual meal.

My Toronto friends assured me that the sushi at this tiny establishment in the city’s fringes was excellent and they were not wrong. The dishes we had were all very good indeed and served in a professional manner. They also have a good and interesting range of specialty sushi items as well as non-​sushi choices that were well worth having, including a delicious fried chicken cutlet and a marinated mackerel that was singed with a blowtorch at the table and topped with a bit of soy sauce.
I suppose they may deserve a five-​star rating within the confines of Toronto sushi establishments, but when compared with places I’ve been to in other cities I found that it was not quite there.

A low key gem in midtown. I’ve been there several times, never been disappointed. The sushi rice would melt in your mouth! Always cures the craving for good Japanese food.

One of the best sushi places in Toronto. Everything was prepared correctly, and all the fish were fresh. It’s a nice place for a dinner date. Reservation recommended!

Shinobu Sushi was our last dinner in Toronto and we were just crossing our fingers that this place would leave a lasting impression on us as we headed back to Hawaii the next day, and all i can say is that our dining experience at Shinobu in Toronto did not disappoint but it wasn’t mind blowing either. I have to say that my expectations are high being from Hawaii and all i can say is that the fish from Hawaii is unbelievably and über fresh and the quality of food in Izakaya’s here in Hawaii are simply outstanding and the only place i can think that can compete with Izakaya’s here in Hawaii are those from Japan.
Now one thing we really studied hard about eating at Izakaya’s anywhere we go is that the owners definitely have to be from Japan and no place else because that’s how we determine how good this place can be and we can actually say that it’s authentic and after month’s of studying about places to eat in Toronto and having my wife, who happens to be Japanese, looked at food blogs from Japanese who have been to Toronto, Shinobu seemed to be a very popular place to dine at since there were many favorable reviews about this place, so this was a place we had to try.
Shinobu is a very small restaurant that has about six to seven tables and was very spacious and not too tight for a big guy like me. The service and staff here are very nice and welcoming and that was a big surprise after dining at other places in Toronto that make you feel like you have the plague or some sort of incurable disease. But i have found that eating at all these Japanese Restaurant’s here in Toronto, they were all so cheerful and happy as if i were in Hawaii and they definitely had the Aloha Spirit.
The menu here at Shinobu isn’t as extensive as most Izakaya’s i have frequented but i have to say that when it comes to value, they get high marks for that because the prices here to me are very reasonable for what you get. I also like the item’s they offer throughout the menu even if it was limited. I also like the Specials they had for the evening.
The Deep Fried Halibut Special was cooked to perfection. Light, Crisp, very mild and the pieces of Halibut were very generous for the price.
The Toriten Nanban: Chicken Tempura with Tartar Sauce was really delicious and didn’t need any sauce at all. I enjoyed it just the way it was.
The Grilled Squid took a while to cook but was well worth the wait. Well executed and not chewy at all.
Torikawa: If you like Crispy Chicken Skin like i do, then this is what to order. Crispy Chicken Skin and an ice cold Japanese Beer… Heaven
Lobster Roll: Kind of like a Spider Roll without the legs. Surpisingly good and presentation wonderful
Now the Sushi Selection here at Shinobu is very reasonably priced but lacked the selections that i normally eat at Izakaya’s or Sushi Bar’s. What really disappointed me on this trip to Japanese Restaurant’s here in Toronto is that there was no Uni to be found whatsoever. That is a big let down for me. How could they not get any type of Uni anywhere? Don’t tell me it’s off season or is it that hard to get Uni from Santa Barbara, Hokkaido, or even Boston? I always got to have my Uni fix when i travel and was so heartbroken when it wasn’t available.
I was also disappointed that Shinobu didn’t have any O-​Toro or Chu Toro available on their menu as well. I guess beggar’s cant be chooser’s but i expected a lot more from an Izakaya especially with the reputation they carry.
We also ordered more things on the menu and all i can say is that you can’t complain because of the price, but for a person like me, i don’t mind spending on quality and at Shinobu i was hoping for much more but my expectation level may be a little too high.
As for me coming back here again if i ever come to Toronto again? This place would definitely be a place i just might come back to, but i think the menu here is somewhat lacking for a person like myself but once again, the reason why i would come back here is for the value and for those of you people who want good value and not break the bank, i would have to say give it a try, i think you will leave here a happy camper if authentic Japanese Fare is what you are looking for without feeling like you got robbed.

I found this place not too long ago and its fabulous. The pricing is fair… the food excellent and the best sushi, sashimi I have had in a long time it reminds me of the days before sushi became so commercial. I you do not try this place you will have missed out on something spectacular.

This place is great!
Went with 3 friends and everyone enjoyed the food. We ordered various salads, miso soup, and a few rolls. Everything was extremely tasty and fresh. Service was courteous and swift.
Highly recommended.

One of the better sushi spots you’ll find in the GTA.
Shinobu Sushi is a tiny quaint little restaurant on Yonge near Lawrence. On this tiny strip of street, you’ll find a place that seats about 20 people serving up very good sushi. You have to make reservations if you expect to get seating at the place, especially during the weekends.
For plates, we tried their Conch with Miso, Seafood Yakisoba, and their Toritan Nanben, which is essentially panko breaded fried chicken with tartar sauce. The conch was a daily special and it was alright. The conch was good, but the miso made it a bit bitter. The Seafood Yakisoba was decent, but I wasn’t a big fan of the seafood (small shrimp, cut up tiny squid). The noodles were great though. Their very popular Toritan Nanben seemed a bit overrated to me. The fried chicken was a bit greasy and there’s nothing too special about it, other than the fact that it is served with tartar sauce.
Though the hot food wasn’t the greatest, the sushi was incredible. With regards to the sushi, we had the Volcano Rainbow Roll ($ 10), the Supreme Assorted Sushi, and some extra Uni sushi on the side. The Volcano Rainbow Roll was fantastic. The rice tasted so good and the roll just blended so smoothly together. You can tell it was put together well and is topped with honey sauce, which worked real well.
The Supreme Assorted Sushi platter ($ 32) was just as amazing. The sushi pieces were well put together and most of them had some kick to it, whether it be wasabi under the fish or minced ginger and onion. The salmon is my absolute favorite as they got this elongated fatty piece of salmon that made me wished I spent all my money on getting more of it. The sweet shrimp was enormous! Meaty shrimp make me realize those AYCE sushis are so mediocre. The Uni was creamy and melts in your mouth like butter.
Shinobu serves excellent sushi and some of the best in the GTA. The place is nice and small. The service is über friendly and they shout at you when you walk in and when you leave (in a good way and not nearly as loud as any izakaya). There are some better places downtown, but if you’re up north, you should definitely give it a shot.

I’ve heard good things about this place. Just recently,
came out with a top ten sushi of Toronto list, and shinobu appeared as number 9. So the same day I read that list, I decided to go.
Went here on a Tuesday night. My friend and I ordered the matsu sushi, hotate dream roll, lobster roll, sashimi tray, and grilled squid.
All the rolls were decent, but I felt the rice wasn’t as good as it should be. The rice I’ve had at Yasu, Jabistro, Zen, and Aoyama were noticeably better. In terms of fish freshness, they were also alright. I somehow had high expectation of the hotate dream roll (I don’t know why haha), but when I had it, I was kind of disappointed. Again, the rice in all the rolls and sushi were meh.
Out of everything, the grilled squid was actually the highlight of the night. I enjoyed that much better than anything else. Also great miso soup.
My disappointment about this place was that Toro was not on the menu.
Service was great! Décor is lacking but no big deal. Parking is a bit of a pain because it’s on yonge street.
Conclusion: Good sushi. I’d like to come back again and re-​evaluate again, but as of now, I’m not sure this place should be in the top 10.
⁸⁄₁₀ for quality. ⁹⁄₁₀ for service. ⁸⁄₁₀ for value. ⁸⁄₁₀ overall (not an average).

Been here a few times for dinner and have never been disappointed! Be sure to make a reservation because it’s a pretty small restaurant and you likely will not be able to get a table on a Friday/​Saturday night without a reservation.
We typically order the omakase (you have to book this ahead of time) for half the table and we’ll order a few extra dishes on top of that. As omakase goes their portions sizes are big — you definitely won’t leave hungry.
I think their seared mackerel is a staple of their omakase menu — and it’s really awesome!
They have a good variety of sashimi — their shrimp is so so sweet; I also really like their conch sashimi. Their sushi and rolls are all well done too — my favourite roll is the lobster roll.

Giving Shinobu a second try after my first visit two years ago as it has pretty good rating on Unilocal and Google… Nah… Disappointing!
It was never memorable at first visit. But after this meal I am sure I can cross this out of my list for Japanese food.
Atmosphere
Crowded table setting, but that’s usually the case with these type of cozy family run Japanese restaurant. What I didn’t like is their unsafe and unprofessional installation of heater on the ceiling above the seating. It felt like the place is going to fall apart any minute during my meal.
Food
Toriten nanban — Fried Chicken
Good amount of batter and not too oily — enjoyable dish to begin.
Supreme assorted nigiri for $ 29.95. (10pc)
Nice variety of fish and presentation… but the biggest draw back was their mushy and overly sweetened rice. The proportion or fish and rice is out of balance as the fish is too thin for any taste of the fish.
Dream Roll — Fish roe, scallop and spicy salmon
I was expecting this dish to be very flavorful, given that it topped with fish roe and spicy salmon. But the taste was very mild and almost undetectable. The roll was also falling apart when we dip it with soy sauce…
Sorry to say I am never coming back… my all time favorite Aoyama Sushi has much better sushi and sashimi than Shinobu.

Probably the best Japanese restaurant in the area.
I can tell everything is carefully prepared and kept fresh.
I recommend «Agedashi Dofu”(deep fried tofu) and deep fried halibut. They are just awesome as their Sushi!
A unique food beside those is «Toriten”(a type of fried chicken), this food is originated from Oita prefecture (which the Chef/​Owner is from). As far as I know, only this restaurant offers it in Toronto.

A Japanese friend recommended this place so we decided to try it out, turned out the rolls were not THAT impressive. 75%.

Suuuuper yummy sushi! !!! We tried a few rolls and the sashimi plate. The raw fish was very fresh and tasty. The roll with yellow tail fish and green onion was very delicious. The highlight was the vulcano sushi roll which they put on flame! Also my favourite shrimp tempura came with an extra sauce on top of it. It was lil spicy but definately worth to try! They also serve homemade soya sauce! For dessert we had japanese green tea cake with black sesame ice cream… yuuuuum!
The place doesn’t have to many tables, reservation is highly recommended! All in all it was a wonderful dinner!

Cost: reasonable
Quality: good — 85%
Décor: poor — 60% typical «no décor» authentic Jap restaurant here
Staff: average service — 75%
Value: good — 85%
Keeper? Yes like it there when we can get a seat, but it’s hard.

This place was amazing!
I looked on Unilocal for sushi places in north Toronto and found this option, thinking it would be great for sushi and a friend new to asian cuisine. I was correct! The staff was excellent and super friendly. The turn around time was quick, and the food was amazing. I have never had such a perfectly fresh roll of sushi, and the spider roll was the best I have ever had!
If you are interested in going just be aware that there are only about 20 chairs and we had one of only 2 non reserved tables (luckily we went early on a weekday).
I only give a 4 because it has a rather small list of menu choices for sushi (in my opinion), and because 5s are reserved for perfect everything experience.
Shinobu Sushi, I will gladly be a repeat customer in the future.

***Warning: This review may be a bit skewed as I went on a Friday, after work, was tired, and had to drive to Kipling, park, and take the subway to this restaurant.***
First of all, reservations are a must, especially if you’re planning to visit on a weekend for dinner. This place is small, seating less than 25ppl, so call ahead!
The Good:
— lotsa variety on their menu that you won’t find elsewhere, re: Salmon Yukke, a seared salmon tartar (although I didn’t taste any ‘searing’)
— if you order green tea, they’ll supply a full teapot’s worth — at NO CHARGE! So no asking for refills
— lotsa variety in terms of different cuts of fish in Sushi Entrée, it won’t be salmon, salmon, & more salmon!
— according to other reviews, the entire staff is Japanese, i.e. authentic
— I think they make their own desserts. We ordered Green Tea Cheesecake w/​Ginger Tea Ice Cream, shareable for 2, and light tasting!
The Not-​So-​Good:
— a coupla nigiri pieces were a bit fishy, in particular the red tuna + a white, oily fish (mackerel?)
— table wasn’t cleared off immediately, but at the last possible moment, re: once the next dish arrived. Chopstick wrappers remained on table for the entire meal.
— very dimly lit, especially if you’re seated at the window. Their main window is covered by a heavy, opaque curtain which allows 0 light, no candles or lighting fixture above tables
— aside from the sushi rolls, prices are a bit higher than other places that I usually go to. It’s less than Japango, but it ain’t cheap!
Service: Pleasant and polite, but again, plates, chopstick wrappers weren’t cleared off immediately. I even had to lift up an empty plate so that the waitress could place an incoming dish. So it’s more relaxed service as opposed to fine dining.
Not a fan: This has nothing to do with Shinobu, but I wasn’t personally a fan of the Goshiki Natto Don. I guess I didn’t know what I was getting into, but it smelled like rotting food, but tasted bland. I didn’t know if I was supposed to add soy sauce to it, but that’s what I ended up doing. It’s supposed to be good for you, but I don’t think I’d order it again.
I may visit again if I was ever in that area, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to deal with the traffic/​find street parking!

Past reviews are right about making reservations! You won’t get a seat if you don’t make one. A table for four left just in time for my 7:30PM reservation, so we were seated in less than five minutes.
It’s not exactly an impressive place with fancy décor to take your hot date, but I was hoping the food would make up for it.
The $ 45 Omakase (Chef’s Menu):
1. Mediocre salad — As you can see in the picture, it was pretty disappointing to be served a salad with some lettuce and some potato sticks as the first item from the Omakase.
2. Seared mackerel — Undeniably fresh and seared with a blow torch (?) at the table. I normally do not enjoy mackerel, but these were tasty!
3. Steamed egg — One of my favourite Japanese dishes! Shinobu’s steamed egg is packed with ingredients (ie. jumbo shrimp, enoki mushroom)
4.Spanish Mackarel — Very nicely presented, but the sashimi itself was tough and the taste was overpowered by sliced ginger.
5. Monk fish liver — Delicious, melts-​in-​your-​mouth texture. It’s almost as good as foie gras, seriously.
6. Lobster roll — This is basically a spider roll, but with lobster in it. The rice was too warm, and the sushi kept falling apart. Some may be picky and dislike the fact you’re unable to eat your sushi in one piece, but I guess it’s all the same when it ends up in your tummy.
7. Fried chicken?! — Another disappointing dish in this omakase. The chicken was very good, but if I wanted fried chicken, I would go to Korea town or maybe KFC.
8. Ox Tongue — Tender and chewy, just the way I like it. Yet, another item I did not expect to see in an omakase.
9. Assorted Nigiri — This was probably the best dish. The temperature was just right, and the rice was proportional to the sashimi, which was very fresh.
10. Green Tea Cheesecake with Ginger Ice Cream — Real ginger pieces in the ice cream! I did not really enjoy the green tea cheese cake, the two flavours just don’t mash up well.
The service as A-​OK. They do not wait for you to finish your food before immediately serving the next dish, which was very frustrating as there was no room on the table. The $ 45 Omakase was the most expensive choice there was and there was no sashimi dish, but instead hot dishes like fried chicken and ox tongue that you can get at AYCE places.
Maybe my experience would be better if I order a la carte next time, but I would never order the omakase again.