

Yasu is Canada’s first Omakase sushi bar. When Chef Yasu dreamed of opening his sushi restaurant, his single focus was to share his passion for bringing out the natural umami of ingredients in his sushi. Yasu pays homage to the edomae sushi roots to showcase the beauty of simplicity by using classical methods to draw out the umami of fish. Our roots, methodology, and determination comes from our passion for sharing the umami flavor in our food. Our food is the purest expression of our goals and devotion. Expertly prepared, our fish is freshly sliced and placed atop warm, loose rice then brushed with a touch of nikiri soy for a perfectly balanced bite. Yasu, simply put, is purity at its finest.
One menu option, a prix fixe Japanese omakase (chef’s choice) of 20 sushi pieces in small digs.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 81 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S 1G4, Canada
Phone: +1 416-944-8212
Website: https://yasu-sushibar.com/index.html
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: yasu-sushibar.com
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Reviews
Throughout the evening, the server interrupted our table repeatedly (at least five times)while we were in the middle of conversations. It made it difficult to relax and enjoy the moment. The pacing of the dinner also felt rushed, as if we were racing against the clock rather than savoring each course. Omakase should feel thoughtful and immersive, but this experience felt hurried.
In sushi, rice plays a crucial role. From the very first piece served, the rice was noticeably too wet and mushy, almost like food court sushi. There was very little seasoning in the rice, which made the balance feel off. As for the fish, nothing stood out as memorable in terms of quality or flavor, which was surprising for an omakase experience.
Since it was my birthday, the restaurant kindly prepared a “Happy Birthday” plate, which I appreciated. However, only one server said “happy birthday” out loud, and it created an awkward moment where the entire room went silent for a few seconds. It felt uncomfortable rather than celebratory. Honestly, I would have preferred no announcement at all.
Overall, while I appreciate the gesture for my birthday, the service pacing and food quality did not meet expectations for an omakase experience.
The decor of the restaurant is intentionally minimalist, more to focus the attention of the patrons to what goes on behind the counter. Tonight, two sushi chefs worked in synchronicity for twelve patrons, each commanding one side of the room of six patrons each. All the patrons sat around an L-shape counter, and they were served by two waitresses on their side of the counter.
The omakase meal started with a four-item appetizer. Between Hokaido scallops, grilled unagi, baby abalone and more, each served in its own special sauce, the appetizers prepared us for what was to come.
From the appetizers we were served 11 more “courses” of sushi and a soup at the end. The evening wrapped with two desserts and it was 1 hour and 45 minutes in total. With each course of sushi we were served a very well cpnceptualized, sourced and constructed nigiri sushi. The ingredients were out of this world fresh, and each had a unique flavour profile. We were treated to unique combinations of chive, radish, ginger and more in each course, and paired with freshly made wasabi and just the right amount of specially brewed soy sauce and other sauces.
The most memorable ones for me were the snapper and the saba. All in all we were served 18 items this evening, and we were offered options to add courses such as cavier to the set meal.
What stood out through the evening is the ingredients. They were so well sourced and paired, it was quite memorable. Was it the most creative omakase meals we have had in recent memory? No. But it was definitely one of the top 5 omakase restaurants in Toronto. I would highly recommend this place if you are new to the omakase scene and would like an enjoyable introduction.
My only negative comment is the smell of the restaurant. The fishy smell was overwhelming.
We tried all three caviar add-ons: the best was the toro with caviar sushi, followed by the uni with caviar sushi, and my least favorite was the caviar sushi alone.
The chef was highly experienced and executed each dish perfectly.
I definitely recommend this experience—but be careful, it’s very expensive; our bill came to around $830.
Small place, not many seats available.
Even after reading the 1-star comments, many of them noted the food was delicious but unhappy about the 18% service charge even though no tipping is involved. Many Omakases in Japan charge this as well.