Kotori Authentic Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Aurora

To be honest, before the food arrived, I was leaning toward giving this place 2 stars. But once I actually tasted the dishes, I quickly changed my mind — the food alone deserves at least 4 stars. Since I know the restaurant reads its reviews, I’d like to share both my praise and some constructive feedback.

The Good: The food was excellent. Anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine knows that fresh fish is only part of the experience — perfectly cooked rice is just as important. Chef Lee sources rice directly from Japan, and it shows in both flavor and texture. Presentation was beautiful, and even the salad and side dishes tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared. For the quality of the food alone, I truly want this restaurant to succeed; it’s not easy to find authentic Japanese dining in Aurora.

Areas for Improvement (Constructive Feedback):

Ambiance: For the level of food and the price point (over $60 per person for a simple lunch), the décor and atmosphere could use an upgrade. Currently, the space feels more like a casual fish-and-chips spot than a high-end Japanese restaurant. The layout also leaves little privacy between the chef’s counter and the dining area.

Speed of Service: We waited about 25 minutes for just two lunch orders, despite being the only diners. Watching tempura batter mixed from scratch after ordering was impressive, but it raises concerns about wait times if the restaurant is busy. My advice: if you’re short on time, call ahead to order.

Managing Expectations: If meals take longer to prepare, the staff should let customers know upfront or mention it on the website. Offering small snacks or an amuse-bouche during the wait would make the experience much more enjoyable.

Staff Presentation: Service itself was fine, but the attire (short shorts/skirt and flip-flops) didn’t match the level of dining experience the restaurant is clearly aiming for. A more polished dress code would go a long way in elevating the atmosphere.

Menu Options: Please consider offering à la carte sushi. Currently, sushi is only available in combos, which limits diners who just want to sample a few individual pieces. Unless it’s not economically feasible, this flexibility would really enhance the menu.

Overall: The food here is fantastic, and with some improvements to ambiance, service flow, and menu options, this restaurant could truly stand out. I sincerely hope my suggestions help, because Aurora needs a...

More edits 😆 : requested an Omakase meal, quite good. Not cheap but worth it… lots of work…

Edit again : more food pic from trying this week🤭

Edit 4: guess what I like most is the chef will change up the dish abit even if u order the same dish from the menu before. Today’s dinner set is very nice with each dish in the set complimenting each other…

Edit 3:Another edit (4th): went again… every time I go, more and more people are there ! 🥲

Edit 2 : went again - 3rd time - tried the Sashimi Moriawase, fresh and generous, but wish there r more seafood variety and less Salmon but the toro and chutoro are quite generous 👍. Unagi Don - thick and soft- good price.

Edit: tried again the next day and tried salad udon and sashimi dish. Still great! —- Nice addition to the neighborhood. IMO, this would be one of the better Japanese restaurants in the neighborhood. The fish tasted fresh (and authentic), and the asking price is reasonable so the meal was very positive one for me! The fish seems fresh and has the fish taste for most part and i like the wasabi being used also. The presentation looks pretty 👍. The miso soup is also nicely done with a proper dashi base to make the miso soup so it doesn’t taste watery.

Also tries the cold soba and tastes quite good and satisfying, the combination of all ingredients mixed together tasted quite well!

Today is their second day of opening and am done quite well today based on this meal experience. The restaurant looks clean and comfy and services are friendly. The chef seems very passionate about serving food that makes customer happy and I very respected that! 👍

I wish them success and for sure will visit again based on today’s experience (and also not a long travel for...

I'd give this place 6 stars if I could....

Wait times will depend on your luck as they are quite busy at times. Up north in GTA, very few sushi spots will rival Kotori.

We went during lunch hours and Staff were friendly. I would recommend sitting at the bar as you get an up close with the chef who is quite friendly. The experience was great with the exception of some slight vibration on the table either from construction outside or a dishwasher in the restaurant. While the aesthetics of the restaurant don't jump out at you, it reminds you of a cozy spot in a side alley in japan which does bring a cool ambience to the middle of an area of Aurora you would not expect.

The premium set was a hit of everything you'd want. The toro melts in your mouth. The rice is cooked to perfection. The foie gras sushi settles nicely as a final piece to the meal.

Not stopping there, we also had the tendon meal which was essentially a tempura rice bowl. At face value it did not seem like it would really jump out...but the freshness of the ingredients and the batter was really distinct and definitely a surprise for us in how good it was.

We also ordered the chirasi which was great, however if I were to return I'd opt for the toro set or the premium set as you seem to get much more of an experience with these meals.

If you plan on going make sure to allocate 1.5 hours for a comfortable meal time + wait time in case it is busy. I would also call ahead before going as they may close shop if they cannot handle the capacity/run out of ingredients (yes they were they busy)

Highly suggest anyone in the area to give these guys a try - you'll be blown...