Zen Japanese Restaurant

The good: one of the best sushi I have tried around the Toronto area. From presentation, to taste, to texture, to vibe, and to whatever sushi lovers feel — this place is as good as it gets. First, the design of this place is stunning. I love the décor, the spacing is good, lighting is amazing, and the environment feels nice. Service is great. But most importantly, the sushi. It was fantastic! I had the chef special (the lower priced option, can’t remember how much though.). Going through each sushi piece is like an adventure. Each piece has its own unique taste, its own unique personality. Just amazing. There was not one piece that was better than the other. Sushi hand roll is part of the menu, that itself was good too. But, wow to end it off, dessert. They made in my own opinion, the best matcha ice cream ever, the best hands down. It had so much matcha flavour, refer to my picture post to see how green it is! Amazing! The Mochi wasn’t bad :)
The bad: seating is super limited so be sure to reserve.
The ugly: $$$$$$$$$. If you know what I mean ;)
Neutral: again seating is limited so reserve. Dress to impress. Good as a date place or a group (there are private rooms).

I’ve been here a couple of times and sat both at the sushi bar and the dining tables. The 3 star review is based on both experiences and averages out to 3. The sushi bar experience was far more superior to the dining table experience I had with my parents. The fish here is always fresh and service is amazing.
Let me start out with the bad. Ordered the same omakase option both times but was served very mediocre sushi. The ika was so tough and chewy we couldn’t even bite it in half. And no, it wasnt because it wasnt ika, it really was ridiculously tough. The waitress initially suggested the same thing but I had the same piece from twice and only one of them came out like that.
Similar to other reviews, the dining table set was not brushed with sauce or garnished that night. Another disappointment. When the chef serves the sushi at the sushi bar, each piece is carefully garnished with lime or sea salt or yuzu or whatever the piece goes with.
So onto the good, the sushi bar is always the best experience because I love watching the sushi get made and the sushi isn’t sitting around and waiting to be served. I would recommend only booking the sushi bar. Zen fills up even in weekdays so be sure to ask for it when making reso.
One last tip, ask for less rice if you’re not a big eater. The omakase is pretty filling and all the food adds up and the last negitoro roll is delicious. So save room!

How do you give this restaurant a 5 star??? Considering a 5 star restaurant the atmosphere, service, food, pricing and recover of wrong doing. The atmosphere is a 2 star. I felt very uncomfortable sitting 1 and half foot away from the other table. The lighting was dull and the open kitchen was no show at all.
The service was good which I will give it a 4 star. Waitress was very polite.
The food for the name ‘Zen’ is a 1 star to me. The miso soup was poor. The sake was not even hot. The sashimi was a joke! My wife couldn’t even eat one of them because it was chewy. The tiny scallop they gave was a joke. The quality of these sashimi I can get it anywhere.
The price for what they give should be a $$.
Now that I told the manager that the food was very poor they offered me a desert. I’m not there for their dessert. I didn’t accept it. They gave me a 10% discount for next visit. Do you think I’ll come again…

Went to Zen for their Kaiseki dinner for my girlfriend’s birthday.
We both loved the experience as the food was interesting and tasty.
Like Yasu, Zen provides a very unique experience in Japanese cuisine. Unlike Yasu which is more traditional and only offers nigiri, Zen offers Kaiseki dinners which is the Japanese term for multi-​course dinners.
Everything was delicious. Initially, none of the appetizers looked very appealing to me but each item was surprisingly refreshing and delicious. Definitely was caught off guard at how tasty everything was.
There were some downfalls though. The broth and noodles were very underwhelming. It was tasty, but it was just noodles in a broth. What is with the Japanese putting tempura in broth? It makes it soggy. It’s a waste and a shame. Serve it separately. Also, the sushi rice in some of the nigiri pieces actually FELL OFF. It’s crazy that a high end restaurant couldn’t get sushi rice to stick together to me.
However, the highlights were really high. The cod was absolutely amazing. The wagyu beef was 100% memorable and delicious and the sashimi at this place is ridiculously fresh and tasty.
Highly recommend the Kaiseki for a special occasion with a loved one.

I had a great experience at Zen, having been my first time here. I was very confused at the location first — and without noticing the small signage staring right in front of me, I drove around the plaza once to realize it was right in the front. I would suggest they look to update their signage, but if they’re trying to stay low key, that’s fine with me too.
We ordered the SUSHI KAISEKI which was phenomenal. Each dish was so meticulously prepared and with such care and perfection in presentation — it could only remind me of dining at a Michelin star restaurant, to be honest.
The menu:
— Tamago Tofu (Egg Tofu with Lobster)
— Zensai (Assorted Appetizers)
— Hotate & Nyumen (Scallop with Japanese thin noodle in broth)
— Sashimi Moriawase (Chef’s Special Choice Sashimi)
— Gindara Yuan Yaki (Grilled Black Cod, marinated with Yuzu & Sake)
— Wagyu Suki-​Nabe (A4 Wagyu, Japanese Beef Striploin in hot pot)
— Omakase Sushi (Chef’s Special Choice Sushi)
— Toro Handroll
— Homemade Dessert
Every dish brought a different format, presentation and experience. The Hotate & Nyumen and the Wagyu Suki-​Nabe were soup/​broth based and the had a clear but striking flavour full of umami.
The sushi and sashimi was also fantastic — with great presentation and delicious flavour to every piece. The rice vinegar used was slightly higher than you would expect — but works well and brings out the flavour of the fish even further.

+.5 for service
Alright, I’ve eaten at Zen before, back when it was in a very ghetto strip in Scarborough. I was very happy Zen moved north to Markham, as I believe that’s where their market holds (higher income city, lots of Asians, etc).
I tried the new Zen for the first time on my mom’s birthday, and was able to reserve the last seat a couple of Saturdays prior. That’s how busy it is; you have to reserve very early beforehand.
The decorations look a lot nicer than the Scarborough location; it actually looks like an upscale Japanese place, instead of it being purely white walls. Definitely a job well done with their new location, which by the way… is quite easy to miss as it doesn’t stand out very much.
My family of four ended up ordering two kaisekis, an omakase sushi course, and an omakase sashimi course, which meant we get the full Zen experience (as I would put it). It’s obviously something I wouldn’t do again, but since it was my mom’s birthday… why not!
We started with the tamago tofu, which had a very unique and delicious sauce that make the egg. The dish was cold, but not bone chilling. Just the way I like it.
Next dish was the zensai, which had the mini octopus, duck breast, jello, veggie and mushroom soup (or sauce), and some shrimp bits salad thingy. Excellent once again on all counts.
Sashimi Moriawase was the next dish. Full points to the mid-​toro and the amberjack, definitely some of the best I’ve ever had. I’ve never really been a sea urchin person, but my parents who had it also said it was delicious and not fishy.
Next was the nyumen with scallop, which personally I could’ve done without. The noodles weren’t anything special, nor were the salad or the broth.
At this point the meals had separate dishes, but I’ll cover our whole platter regardless. The gindara yuan yaki had an excellent butter taste, and the cod was neatly layered instead of it being scrunchy. The plum-​like fruit wasn’t my cup of tea, but my parents seemed to like it.
Wagyu Shabu Shabu was arguably the highlight of the tasting menu. The beef was, without question, the best I’ve ever eaten. Perfectly marbled, very smooth, and it just melts in your mouth. That’s what true wagyu beef is supposed to be like, no question about it.
Omakase sushi was next, and it came with 14 different varieties of fish for the kaiseki menu or 7 varieties for the omakase sushi menu. Excellent all the way, although the rice was difficult to grasp properly as it wasn’t packed tightly enough. I loved the squid and all the toros in particular. But wait, there’s more! Toro handroll came as we were eating the sushi, and I’m gonna quote from my mom who hates handrolls: «This is the only handroll I will ever eat in my life. It’s that good. I can’t believe I’m enjoying it, but I am».
As for the assorted sashimi (omakase sashimi menu), that dish also had its unique varieties, mixed with some common fishes such as octopus, sweet shrimp, and yellow tail. Great all around, though by this time we were already all full.
Finally, dessert… black sesame ice cream, mochi, macaroons, and matcha ice cream. Yum, yum, yum, and yum.
Service was excellent; the servers will explain every single dish and the ingredients used. They will also be accommodating of any allergies or questions you may have.
I definitely won’t have the kaiseki or any of the tasting menus next time, but my next visit will definitely focus more towards the a la carte options. It may be expensive, but this is what you expect from top end/​high quality sushi!

Zen has camouflaged, and it’s easy to miss. Look for Area One KTV lounge, and Zen is just next to it. We were greeted right away after walking through the hallway and through the noren. Our seats at the bar were ready for us. We had the okamase sushi and sashimi course. Both courses came with appetizers, nyumen with lobster and noodles and desserts. The sashimi came all in one time, but the sushi came one at a time. I enjoyed watching the chef sliced the fish. Each piece was sliced beautifully and to the right thickness. The rice was pressed just to the right size into a pellet in his hands. He gave spark to the sushi by brushing special soy sauce, or dusted lemon/​lime zest. Adding some citrus to some of the sushi was refreshing. I would highly recommend sitting at the bar and have the okamase sushi. It’s nice to watch the chef performs right in front of you, sculpturing the sushi and putting that masterpiece right on your plate a piece after piece. I put my pair of chopsticks aside and begun to use my hand to pick up the sushi: so raw and primitive! The fish were very fresh and they all melted in my mouth. Soy ice cream was awesome! Excellent service! Price?! A bit pricey, but worth it. Make a reservation well in advance!

4.5
Located in an inconspicuous plaza that can be easily overlooked is one of the most expensive Japanese establishments around. Came here for my birthday to try the Sushi Kaiseki ($ 135 per person) which consists of 8 courses and I was not disappointed.
Tamago Tofu (Egg Tofu with Lobster) — A cold dish to kick off the meal and cleanse the palate. The tofu was soft and creamy giving an interesting contrast to the texture of the bamboo shoot. The lobster tempura was meaty and worked really well with the sauce. Great start.
Zensai (Assorted Appetizers) — Lots of variety with this one. I cant remember the specifics of each item but I enjoyed every one. The mini octopus with sesame paste, the jello with shrimp, enoki mushrooms, squid etc. inside and the rare duck breast were a wonderful, welcomed challenge to my taste buds. The veggies and mushroom were solid as well.
Hotate & Nyumen — This was the least memorable dish both in presentation and delicacy. The broth was absolutely delicious but the noodles were just regular well-​made thin noodles and the scallop tempura was no longer crispy by the time it was served (is this normal?). A little underwhelming.
Sashimi Moriawase (Chef’s Special Choice Sashimi) — Sashimi is phenomenal. The fish is SO fresh, it’s insane. I couldn’t get over how pure it tasted. I have to admit the quality surpasses that of Yasu. My favorite was the amberjack and I was glad that the uni didn’t have an ocean smell to it. This was bomb.
Gindara Yuan Yaki (Grilled Black Cod, marinated with Yuzu & Sake) — I’m drooling thinking about the cod. Absolute perfection. It came with a myrica rubra/​yamimomo fruit that complemented the rest of the dish so well, it blew my mind. The fruit was sweet and such a delight. This can be ordered a la carte and I would highly recommend it!
Wagyu Shabu Shabu (A4 Wagyu) — I was looking forward to this the most. The beef was so tender, dissolving in my mouth (as it should). The wagyu may not have been top of the line but the quality and marbling was superb nonetheless. I savored every moment of it! It is served with some veggies but they were so thinly sliced that when you dip it into the broth, it shrivels up to become more miniscule and hard to taste. I didn’t really care and was too occupied with the beef anyway!
Omakase Sushi (Chef’s Special Choice Sushi) — I had to take a half star off because I felt the nigiri was a little disappointing. The fish was amazing but the sushi rice kept breaking which is something that shouldn’t be happening for a place of this calibre. It’s unacceptable, really. There were also a few pieces where the wasabi was way too strong. This overpowered the taste of the fish and really took away my enjoyment of eating it.
Toro Handroll — Best handroll ever although it didn’t look too appetizing. The seaweed was so crispy and we were told to eat it as soon as possible to get the full taste. Outstanding. I came to realize handrolls in a cylindrical shape taste better than the typical cone-​shaped ones (the prettier version) because the fish to rice ratio is more even this way. I was able to taste the fish in every bite.
Homemade Dessert — Black seasame icecream with a traditional Japanese biscuit, strawberry red bean mochi and a macaron-​like dessert with red bean and green tea ice cream filling, served with brown sugar on the side. I loved every single one. The matcha icecream was an emerald green and strong in flavor just how I like it. Yum.
I was stuffed by the end of the meal. Service was pleasant. Their English isn’t the greatest so I had to really listen to their explanations of each dish. Very attentive and friendly overall.
I personally wouldn’t do omakase here (I prefer Yasu for the intimate experience and the reasonable pricing in comparison) but a la carte or the kaiseki is worth a try. Zen was excellent and one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had! Come here for a special occasion and you won’t regret.

We were regulars at Zen back when they were in Scarborough, their sushi quality is the only one that’s comparable to Kaji in town.
Aside from the great quality sushi/​sashimi, they also make AMAZING tonkatsu, which unfortunately is off the new menu since they moved to Markham, I was so sad!
Since they moved, the price point just gone off the roof, Kaji definitely is a better choice to go now. We still come here for take out once a month, but for dine in… Kaji is much better value.
Their mandarin pie is heavenly, I am not a pie fan — but the only pie I eat is from here.

I had some high expectations for this place because I’ve eaten at Kaji numerous times and love the food there. My mom and sister told me that Zen is even better than Kaji so I was excited to eat some good sushi. We all ordered the Kaiseki tasting menu which was $ 125/​person and a bottle of saki. This tasting menu featured 7 principle dishes with the main course being an A4 Wagyu which I was excited to try. I’ve eaten A5 at Sixteen in Chicago and loved it there. The A4 is a step below the A5 but still fantastic.
The raw fish here is really really fresh and it’s also very good. The other courses are also good as well. I would say they are between better than average and good. However, some of the appetizer dishes didn’t really give me that wow factor. Also, the number of dishes and the sizes of them are pretty small and I left here still hungry.
My main gripe is that I wouldn’t pay $ 125/​person for that tasting menu. I would pay about $ 80 – 90 for it. If it was set at that price, then I’d give Zen 4 stars. Also, their explanation of certain plates were kind of lacking in detail and I would have liked some more explanation on what I was eating and in which order to eat them which never came.
Overall, the food wasn’t bad. I still prefer Kaji over Zen but I wouldn’t say no to coming back and giving them another star.

I came blindfolded and didn’t know what to expect and this place blew me away.
— make reservation for omakase at the sushi bar for the ultimate experience
The sign on the establishment is located at the very left side and its pretty small that I almost missed it. When you walk in, you’ll sense the change in atmosphere and it’s unspoken etiquette. It’s pretty quiet as if you’re walking through a temple or a peace garden, I guess they constructed the walkway to calm yourself before entering the dinning room.
I highly recommend to sit at the sushi bar for a fun experience. You’ll be entertained by the epic skills of the sushi chefs and the drool worthy seafood.
WARNING: It could also be a distraction from your guest since you might not be able to take your eyes off the the food: P Also, it’ll make you want to order more because it’s just so tempting when you see the chef making their next sushi concoction. (so guilty, we ordered another special concoction handroll and almost ordered more a la carte items ^^;)
We ordered the sushi omakase that came with 3 appetizers, lobster tempera noodle soup, 15 pieces of sushi and two types of dessert. Started off the meal with hot Kinmon sake that had a nice fragrant smell to it and was on the sweeter side. They also provide warm wet napkins before you start your meal, so you can eat the sushi the authentic way (with your hands).
I will definitely order from the a la carte next time since I got a taste from the course meal.
Service was great; the servers were knowledgeable about the dishes and were polite.

First impression: when I walked into Zen, I felt the authentic atmosphere as I heard the chefs and waitresses speaking Japanese. They were also all very friendly and welcomed us as we took our seats by the sushi bar. As a side note, you should call in advance to make a reservation if you want to sit at the sushi bar.
The main menu consisted of a limited selection of only 5 courses to choose from. We each ordered the Omakase Sushi, which came with miso soup, 13 pieces of sushi, and a handroll. We watched as our chef made each piece of sushi, and his knife skills were phenomenal. I liked how the chef described what each of the fish were as he served each piece of sushi to us, so I knew what I was putting in my mouth! As a heads up (for those who don’t eat wasabi like me), they put a bit of wasabi in every piece of sushi, but it wasn’t overwhelming, so it still tasted good. They also grind lemon and brush soy sauce on the fish before serving it.
Compared to uni that I ate at another sushi restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of an unpleasant aftertaste after eating the uni sushi at Zen, which shows how fresh their seafood is. The handroll was the last piece of the night, stuffed with tuna belly. According to the chef, the tuna belly is stored in a freezer of minus 50 degrees Celsius, to maintain its freshness and so that it wouldn’t change colour! He advised us to eat it as soon as it was made to get the full taste. The seaweed was extremely crispy, so you don’t need to bite on it forever to break it apart. The tuna belly melts in your mouth, and the onions mixed in with it added a subtle refreshing taste to it.
Overall, the service was great and the food was delicious! I will definitely be back to try their Omakase Sashimi. :)

This was a great place to celebrate my wife’s birthday. The staff was really friendly. We ordered the sushi kaiseki (tasting menu).
To start we had a light soup which was delicious and full of flavour. It had a seared scallop and Chinese mushroom.
Throughout the meal we had fresh sashimi, very refreshing, steamed egg in truffle oil, a nice piece of wagyu steak (wife felt to fatty, mine was delicious and was so tasty), Hand rolls, and a very good lobster tempura. The batter was very well done and presentation was amazing
Dessert was good, with everything made in house. My wife really liked the home made soy milk ice cream.

This restaurant was originally located on Danforth and Eglington so when I heard they relocated to Markham, there was no reason to not go.
Zen definitely lived up to my expectations with its high quality fresh fish. It is not your typical sushi restaurant where there is a section for appetizers, tempura, rolls, bento box etc. The main menu consists of 4 set dinners, each of which is for 1 person. It may be a bit pricey but for the quality of the fish, it’s definitely worth it. My dad and I ordered one sushi and one sashimi dinner to share. Each piece of sushi used a different type of fish and the waitress named all of them when she placed the plate down. The service was excellent, servers were really polite and knew what they were talking about.
The restaurant is quite small so a reservation may be necessary. The place itself used very simple décor, nothing too flashy and stereotypical Japanese decoration. Will definitely go again!

The quality of the fish here is top notch and the sushi chefs are masterful. I would highly recommend reserving a seat at the sushi bar so you can see all the action up close… it’s seriously impressive. The chefs and wait staff were all extremely polite, attentive and friendly.
We each ordered the omakase sushi course, which included an assortment of appetizers, a good variety of sushi, and dessert. We also ordered blue fin tuna a la carte, which was melt in your mouth goodness. For $ 85, I think the sushi omakase is very good value. I left feeling full and satisfied. I can’t wait to go back!

Zen! I am so happy you are so close to me now! But it also means I will be dropping a LOT of bills on you!!!
Came here on a weekday with a friend to do our annual Christmas dinner and it did not disappoint at all! Before i dive into the review, I want to let everyone know it’s best to make a reservation so they can seat you at some of their better spots (the room at the back?).
Food is expensive here and I already knew this because I went to the Zen at the old location. My friend and I both went with the omakase sushi meal that comes with two appetizers, your 14 pieces of sushi (chef choice) and a dessert. The overall experience was wonderful, when every dish came, the server would carefully explain what they are and how are they made. I was super impressed with the sushi, the chef lined them up from the weakest flavour to strongest so you truly taste the freshness and uniqueness of each sushi by ensuring one does not over shadow the one previously. The 14 sushi were all amazing and I can’t really tell you which one i loved the most!
I highly recommend this place if you want a more traditional Japanese sushi experience and of course for a special occasion due to the steep price.
PS. They got salt water eel at this location too (anago) and I will make sure I try next time, I had them at another restaurance before they are MUCH MUCH better than your regular fresh water eel (unagi)

Full Omakase is excellent. Quality above all. This is definitely more upscale restaurant with a lot of attention to the service. I can’t really comment on table service as I was at the bar and everything came pretty quickly.
Compared to NY prices, Omakase is actually not that expensive. It is only losing one star because I don’t think the menu is set up properly.
Price difference between full omakase and just sushi menu not that big. I would keep the same food, just offer it in a different way. For this price range, you have to do better.
As a side note, I wanted to try the futomaki which were really good. I would only recommend the futomaki if you want to get really really full…
otherwise sake, appetizers and deserts were absolutely delicious. Very original but respecting Japanese traditional flavors. Well done chef!

We tried about 3 times to get to Zen at their old Scarborough location but they were booked solid every time. It wasn’t until they moved to their new spot at Woodbine that we managed to get a spot.
Location: It is located in a small strip plaza on the west side of Woodbine. It is very tough to see from the road and the sign is tiny.
Décor: Very minimalist approach to the tables and surrounding which totally fit in with the «zen”-like atmosphere. The bar area was more active as people were talking with the sushi chefs.
Food: We ordered the sushi and sashimi omakase meals which included appetizers and dessert. Meal started with a cold shomen noodle which was very tasty. This was followed by a set of 3 mini-​apps: miso salmon, unnagi on cucumber salad and steamed egg. Wow — these flavours were great but the portions were a bit on the small side. Next up was the fish — we loved the flavour, freshness and variety of the sushi and sashimi. I always used uni as a my marker of freshness and this one did not disappoint. Tuna, salmon, mackeral and shrimp were wonderful — nice amount of fish with not too much rice. On the sashimi side, portions were generous and the octopus (which I normally find chewy) was soft and tender. Dessert was home made red bean soy ice cream and a fruit jelly.
In general, Zen was a wonderful treat! A bit pricey but well worth the food. We will definitely return and I recommend sitting at the bar as they will serve each piece to you individually!

Best omakase. Absolutely love love love.
End your meal with a piece of tomago. So sweet. So good. Piece of heaven.
The new location is absolutely stunning.

The minute you walk through the doors, you immediately feel the Zen atmosphere.
A tiny zen rock garden sits behind the door, and back-​lit lights beams through the soft coloured wooden slats featuring the Zen logo in the middle of the hallway leading you into the restaurant itself.
Inside, the prominent feature is the large sushi bar where four chefs work swiftly to slice fish, remove pinbones, and deftly shape rice into sushi pieces. If you sit at the bar, you can have the option to have them served piece by piece to eat them at optimal freshness.
Perhaps before you decide to come here for dinner, you should know that Zen is pricey. Dinners are omakase only, and you can choose from one of three price ranges: $ 65 for miso soup, 12 pieces of sushi, and one handroll. The other prices were about ~$ 85 followed by ~$ 100. This is where my primary issue with Zen lies — I don’t feel that the pricing is justified for what you receive.
The rice tastes pretty much like plain rice to me. It doesn’t do a lot to enhance the flavour of the fish. Several times, the rice would crumble apart before the piece reached my mouth — despite my careful swipe in soy sauce, fish-​side down, even picking up the sushi with my fingers instead of chopsticks. The same thing happened to my dining companions.
The soy sauce was definitely not Kikkoman, but it didn’t seem to have any distinguishing features either. If memory recalls correctly, diners at the sushi bar didn’t have soy sauce dishes, as the sushi was brushed with sauce prior to serving. I wish it was the same for table-​diners.
The fish was fresh, but not so amazing that I haven’t had better elsewhere in Toronto. The wasabi ratio was not exactly the same for each diner, so while one had a large glob for one diner, another exact piece had hardly any.
The negitoro handroll served after the sushi plate was pretty good. Filled with negitoro and shaped like a sausage roll, the seaweed was perfectly crispy.
Service was very, very slow. We waited 50 minutes for the sushi to arrive.
The service was friendly, but there wasn’t much of it. The paper which was wrapped around our (made in Japan!) chopsticks was never picked up/​discarded. Our table was skipped for tea refills a couple of times, though other tables were offered another pour. The kindly waitstaff apologized for the long wait, but 50 minutes is a long time.
Maybe it’s because we came at a late hour. Due to the popularity of this restaurant, we nabbed the last spot possible at 9pm. Based solely on my experience this weekend though, I can’t help but wonder what made Zen so popular in the first place. By the way: if you’re wondering about the previous Scarborough location, I’ve been told that it now belongs to a different (Japanese) owner. All in all, I’d still want to come back and try it again, but maybe after giving them a bit of time to work out the serving pace…