So, here’s one thing almost everyone in our team has in common: we’re huge Japanese cuisine fans. How huge? Like, we’ll-obsess-about-the-quality-of-our-sushi-rice huge.
With that said, we were more than happy to pig ou—er, we mean review the best Japanese restaurants in the city. It was a long but delicious process whose results we’ll share with you today.
Table of Contents
How We Chose the Best Japanese Restaurants in Calgary
Here are the factors we considered in choosing our entries:
1. Globefish Kensington
Menu | 5/5 |
Food presentation | 5/5 |
Accommodation | 4/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
Globefish Kensington ticked the list of almost all of our favorite Japanese dishes. The best part is that they deliver all of these goodies straight to your door – no need to queue up at their busy restaurant.
They make this possible through their online ordering options, which let you select either scheduled or immediate delivery. This feature is easily accessible on their website as well as their very own mobile app.
If you place your order through their website or app, you will even receive an exclusive 10% discount. We always love simple deals like this, plus it ensures contactless delivery to ensure a safer process.
But enough of their online features – we’d love to gush about their food instead.
We actually went to the restaurant several times to get a real taste of their food. For one thing, we noted that they use fresh and great cuts of meat for their sushi and sashimi – the tuna and salmon varieties easily made it to our favorites.
It’s worth noting too that if you have dietary restrictions, the restaurant will accommodate your needs by customizing your meal. Someone at the table next to us placed a custom order for this reason.
Oh and in case we forget, all of their sushi options are gluten-free!
However, while we loved the overall taste and quality of their food, we noted some inconsistencies.
To be exact, our orders in the first week we visited were up to par with our culinary standards. However, come the following week, the food quality wasn’t exactly the same – it wasn’t bad, mind you, but the change in freshness was quite obvious to those of us with better palates.
Luckily for them, we found everything else adequate with little space for complaints. Food comes fast, dishes are delicious, and customer service is commendable.
Pros
- Fresh sushi and sashimi
- Alcoholic drinks available
- Gluten-free sushi and sashimi menu
- Accommodates dietary restrictions
- Specializes in food delivery
- Easy-to-use online order platform
- Exclusive discount for orders placed on their app
- Happy hours available
Cons
- Inconsistencies in food quality
- Reservation required for dine-in
Fresh sushi, delicious tuna
Glue your socks on cause this place will blow your socks off! Amazing Sushi, fresh and great cuts of meat! I was very happy to find this place. Great value with high quality sushi and fish. The tuna was perfect and delicious. The rolls were great but my favorite was the crazy buster! Big Fresh cut of tuna and good salmon! – Cliff Burt
Tasty, will make you feel appreciated
Seriously amazing sushi. So fresh and tasty. You can definitely tell they take pride in the quality of their food. Ted is awesome and he’ll totally make you feel appreciated! – WanderingIn YYC
2. Sushi Bar Zipang
Menu | 4/5 |
Food presentation | 5/5 |
Accommodation | 4/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
If you’re sushi and sashimi fanatics like us, we think you’ll enjoy the authentic dishes that Sushi Bar Zipang offers. They’re actually quite known for various traditional Japanese dishes.
We tried out their sushi lunch plate, which includes three rolls of salmon, tuna, and prawns. The serving size here isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but it meets Japanese dining standards, at least.
While they have plenty of offerings, their lunch menu is actually limited to and focused on serving sushi and sashimi. Actually, this isn’t much of an issue for us since it’s typically what diners look for in a Japanese restaurant anyway.
The quality of food is good – not spectacular, but good for what you pay. Their cuts are also super-clean.
Their grilled fish was also pretty authentic in terms of traditional Japanese food preparation. However, we couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed since the consistency of the dish varied – two of us ordered it and one of us got a fish that was a bit mushy.
Despite this, the restaurant makes up for it by offering guests a very comfortable dining experience. Very zen, you might say. On the whole, the place has a warm atmosphere with friendly staff ready to serve everyone as quickly as they can.
Speaking of speed, we were impressed at how fast our orders got to us. Their speed is a big advantage, especially if you’re in a bit of a rush.
Pros
- Over 15 years in business
- Specializes in sushi and sashimi
- Fast-working staff and cooks
- Warm and cozy atmosphere
- Competitive prices
- Available for lunch and dinner during weekdays
- Available for dinner on Saturdays
- Take-out is available
- Lunch and dinner menu available online
Cons
- Minor complaints regarding the quality of their fish
- Need a reservation to dine-in (no walk-ins)
- Closed for lunch on Saturdays
- Closed on Sundays
Go-to sushi bar, bigger portions
One of my go-to sushi bars in the city. Either myself or with family and friends. Their nigiris are always fresh even when delivered. Portions are on the bigger side compared to other restaurants. Will try to eat here more often. – joc ignacio
Amazing food and service, pleasing presentation
Nice and cozy little Japanese restaurant with amazing service and food! The serving lady as well as the rest of the staff were all super friendly and eager to help. Sushi and sashimi were made quick and were delicious, definitely the best tasting salmon I’ve had. Pleasing presentation and they have nice grippy chopsticks. If you’re thinking sushi/Japanese I highly recommend! – Ashton Nguyen
3. OMO Teppan and Kitchen
Menu | 4/5 |
Food presentation | 5/5 |
Accommodation | 5/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
OMO Teppan and Kitchen is Calgary’s only Wagyu Steakhouse, serving both purebred Japanese Wagyu and crossbred Alberta Wagyu. Beef quality is obviously amazing from the start, but there are other things that make them a good option for your next dinner date.
Now, we need to admit something first. While we hate to be stereotypical, most of us on The Best Calgary team actually do think that teppanyaki cooking really captures the Japanese eating experience.
Which is why most of us thoroughly enjoyed this place. Here, they grill their wagyu in front of their customers, filling the air with the aroma of delectable beef.
The restaurant is staffed by highly-trained teppanyaki and sushi chefs who happily showcase their skills in making the dishes. You get entertainment along with high-quality Japanese dishes. What’s not to like about that?
Anyway, we really enjoyed the portion sizes, like most of the regulars we talked to. To give you an idea of what you get, all teppanyaki meals come with two appetizers, shrimp, soup, salad, grilled vegetables, rice, and ice cream – all in an aesthetic presentation!
And if you’re hoping for a slightly different experience, we recommend their nightly specials. In particular, their Wednesday evenings feature the only ‘All You Can Eat Teppanyaki’ in the area.
Then on Thursdays, they offer Wagyu Date Night specials, which provide a blend of romance, entertainment, and culinary delight. We weren’t able to try these, though, so we won’t review them.
At any rate, while the food is fantastic, the overall experience is a bit underwhelming. At one point, we felt rushed to eat quickly and leave the table for the next group – really off-putting considering they have a good reputation.
Pros
- Calgary’s only Japanese wagyu restaurant
- Generous serving of teppanyaki meals
- Chefs cook the cuisine in the open kitchen for the customers to see
- Aesthetic food presentation
- Classic Japanese restaurant ambiance
- Offers nightly specials
- Open daily for dinner dine-in
- Pick-up and delivery available
- Can book online
Cons
- Minor complains about being rushed to eat
- Quite pricey
- By reservation only
Tender and the best wagyu
It was very entertaining. The best way to celebrate a birthday in Calgary. I love the artistry of the chefs and they were engaging. The wagyu and Alberta steak were tender and simply the best. Hey, a simple cake with a birthday song playing plus an ole school printed photo of us made my night! Well done guys. – dangyey
Recommended for special occasions
The atmosphere of the restaurant is really nice and the staff are super welcoming and friendly. Our chef , Tom was very entertaining when preparing everyone’s meal in front of us. Overall it was a great experience and that is what your paying for with that price tag. The sushi was amazing and super flavourful, as well as the wagyu gyoza (halal). Overall, would definitely recommend coming here for a special occasion (everyone at our table came for a birthday or anniversary)! – Maria I
4. Shokunin
Menu | 5/5 |
Food presentation | 4/5 |
Accommodation | 5/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
We recommend Shokunin if you want a cold brew alongside your favorite Japanese meals. They’re actually an Izakaya, a type of Japanese bar that serves a variety of small dishes and snacks to accompany alcoholic beverages.
The restaurant is best known for serving yakitori, so expect to be offered a variety of chicken menu items. If you like, you can browse them on their website ahead of time before making a reservation.
Obviously, customers have a great selection of drinks such as sake, Japanese whiskey, beer, and craft cocktails. This makes Shokunin a good spot for late-night hangouts.
What about the food? Well, other than yakitori, we also loved their sable fish sushi, ox tongue skewer, and nappa cabbage – all of which tasted fantastically balanced, not overpowering.
Their tuna sushi was also a delight as the rice was just exquisite. One of us thought it was a bit heavy with soy sauce but not so bad that a good drink can’t help.
Despite its popularity for its beverages, we’re disappointed that the restaurant doesn’t offer happy hour. The drinks are also pretty expensive, although we do think it’s not the kind of place you’d just go on casually on a whim.
Menu and drinks aside, we believe that their customer service is their strongest suit. Their staff is very accommodating and always helps customers by offering the best or most popular dishes the restaurant currently has.
The only drawback is the difficulty in reserving a table due to high customer demand. Like the other Japanese restaurants on this list, they prefer reservations, so you’ll likely have to make your booking weeks in advance to get the slot you want.
Pros
- Cozy spot for late-night Japanese cuisine eat out
- Solid yakitori menu
- Offers a great selection of drinks
- Various delicious meals and snacks available
- Menu (with prices) available on their website
- Gift cards available
- Free parking
Cons
- Not available for lunch dine-in
- No happy hours
- Can be difficult to reserve a table
- Quite pricey
Flavorful, beautiful and unique experience
Beautiful, so beautiful, the presentation is only surpassed by the taste. The attentive and uniquely respectful food prep creates flavours you will literally never taste anywhere else.
A beautiful, unique, experience, 20+ visits in the family and never the same experience, never a complaint, always a joy. – Edward Flannery
Delicious food, wonderful ambiance
5 stars all the way! Trendy little spot in downtown Calgary. Amazing service, delicious food and wonderful ambiance. The servers take the time to describe the dishes to you as they are brought to your table. Almost everything is made by the chef or sourced from his farm. Nice selection of wine and mixed beverages available as well! – Christine Ferguson
5. Big Catch Sushi Bar
Menu | 4/5 |
Food presentation | 5/5 |
Accommodation | 4/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
Big Catch Sushi Bar is well-known in Calgary for providing a genuine sushi experience. In fact, it’s their handmade sushi rolls that made them popular among locals – including the sushi-snobs on our team.
In the past, several of us used to frequent their open sushi bar, which allows customers to see how sushi is made. Unfortunately, it’s something we can’t enjoy at the moment due to health regulations around the food and beverage industry here.
Still, nothing beats their ability to provide a fresh take on one of Japan’s oldest forms of sushi, called oshi. What distinguishes their oshi rolls is that they deviate from the traditional serving by incorporating new techniques to elevate the simple dish.
Unfortunately, as impressed as we were with this dish, there were some customers who had the opposite experience. Some complained that it’s not well balanced: they said the rice prevented them from tasting the delicious toppings.
If you ask us, there really were some pieces with just a hair too much rice. We admired their flavor combinations though, and the freshness of the ingredients in the dish.
Beyond this, it’s their excellent sushi rice (red-colored shari) that’s a true game-changer in their menu. The restaurants make it with aged akazu (red vinegar) from their Japanese supplier, ensuring authentic preparation and presentation.
The problem is that they can’t serve sushi rice today (as of writing) due to a shortage of akazu, which is kind of a turn-off for the fans. Nevertheless, Big Catch Sushi Bar is still a great place to eat Japanese cuisine, especially for good sushi.
Pros
- Offers a wide range of handmade sushi rolls
- Open sushi bar
- Oshi rolls available (Japan’s oldest forms of sushi)
- Delicious sushi rice
- Well-served sushi proportions
- Obtains ingredients straight from Japanese suppliers
- Take-out available
Cons
- Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays
- No dine-in on Thursdays
- Dine-in needs a reservation
Quality sushi, great flavor combinations
It really is one of, if not, the best sushi place in Calgary. You can tell how much thought and care goes into each piece or roll and the quality really shines through. High grade ingredients and great flavour combinations are what they pride themselves on. Don’t be swayed away by some of the prices…you get what you pay for which is just great sushi. – Tyrell Scott
Fresh sushi, big thumbs up to the chefs
We ordered a few platters of sushi for takeout during fight night, and wow!!! The flavour combinations mixed with the freshness of the sushi was a game changer. I would highly recommend giving’s Big Catch a try. Big thumbs up to the chefs and will have to try dining in next time. – Joshua Semenok
6. Japanese Cuisine Daruma
Menu | 3/5 |
Food presentation | 4/5 |
Accommodation | 4/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
Dining experience | 5/5 |
If there’s one thing this place is known for, it’s authenticity. Well, the restaurant is owned and operated by a professional Japanese chef who has over 30 years of experience… so we’d be pretty annoyed if it weren’t authentic in its approach to the cuisine!
For most of their customers, they’re a cozy spot for traditional Japanese cuisine. It’s because they have everything most people craving Japanese food are typically looking for.
They also have a lot of the comfort food you’d expect from your classic izakaya, though they call them tapas here, probably to make them more recognizable to us hopeless non-Nihonggo speakers. Their selection includes takoyaki, gyoza, yakitori, dashimaki, and beef tataki.
Honestly, all of them were supremely flavored. Plus, the portions were fantastic and we did feel like we really got our money’s worth (considering we spent quite a lot during our visits).
Of course, there are other goodies on their extensive menu. It’s available on their website, and we highly recommend crafting your own set of orders from there ahead of time so you don’t have to scramble over what to order once you get to the restaurant.
We also gave the restaurant high marks for its accessibility, which includes being open every day for lunch and dinner (except Saturday, which is only for dinner and Sunday is closed).
Delivery and pick-ups are not offered, but at least they accept walk-ins, by the way, which seems to be a rarity now in Japanese restaurants here.
Pros
- Owned and operated by a professional Japanese chef
- Cozy spot for authentic traditional Japanese food
- Specializes in izakaya food
- Available for lunch and dinner (see operating hours)
- Whole menu available on their website
- Offers walk-in seating
Cons
- No lunch dine-in on Saturdays
- Closed on Saturdays
- No delivery and pick-ups
Authentic, fresh food
Cozy restuarants that offers authentic Japanese cuisine. Price is reasonable. Food is fresh. The restaurant is small and parking is limited so it might be hard to get a spot from time to time. – Karen C
Offers other fares not available anywhere
A hidden gem in Calgary for traditional Japanese cuisine. While sushi and sashimi is offered here and great, the trip here is for the other fare not readily available or offered anywhere else like the zaru soba, dashimaki, and sake clams. This quiet and quaint restaurant is run by an old Japanese master and usually one server but the service is great. – Henry Du
7. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
Menu | 5/5 |
Food presentation | 4/5 |
Accommodation | 4/5 |
Price (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
Dining experience | 4/5 |
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Calgary is a great option for a group of friends looking to try Japanese cuisine. There are a lot of reasons why this place is sought-after for Friday night hangouts with friends or family.
The first is the social dining experience that the restaurant provides. Gyu-Kaku offers the fun of yakiniku (grilled barbecue), and with a personal grill installed at each table, everyone becomes an expert cook (albeit with the help of their friendly staff).
The staff not only assist you in cooking the dishes, but they also recommend great dishes to cook from their menu. That’s why, even if it’s your first time at Gyu-Kaku and you have no idea how to prepare your food, you’re pretty much fine.
Speaking of the menu, the restaurant offers a variety of meats, including their best-selling harami skirt steak and angus kalbi short rib. Not to mention the icy cold beverages they can provide: Japanese sake and shochu – perfect to sip with the barbecue!
Most of the meat dishes were great. However, we had mixed feelings about their fried rice, which was often sticky and inconsistent in taste (it’s really good when it’s good though).
Aside from that minor flaw, Gyu-Kaku is an excellent choice for a fun Japanese dining experience that will inspire laughter, conversation, and amazing times with loved ones. And if you’re looking to spend a little money on a drink, happy hour is also available.
Pros
- Specializes in yakiniku (grilled barbecue) dining experience
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Happy hours available
- Full menu (with price) available on their website
- Delivery and take out available
- Can order online
- Great drinks available
Cons
- Inconsistencies with their fried rice
- Lunch menu is not available on weekends
- A bit pricey
Fantastic staff, delicious food
This was my second time here and am still very pleased with everything. I am soooooo full. Maybe too full for a Friday afternoon. Everything is just way to delicious. The staff is fantastic and friendly. Food is always above par. I can’t recommend this place enough. – Vanessa Wilson
Perfectly marinated meats, easy to grill
A downtown gem – the cuts of meat are fresh, marinated perfectly, and very easy to grill. Love the atmosphere and service. A great experience all around and prices are fair as well. Great deals for groups especially. – Sukhi Sandhu