Maki Mart — Restaurant in Markham

Dropped by on a Monday afternoon around 2PM, and some of what I wanted to try had already been sold out for the day 😭 I get it - food waste is a big thing so they likely don't want to make too much of anything in case people don't buy everything before they close. The short version is that this is a place to try at least one time if you're in the area. I'd come back to try the ones I didn't get to try last time if I am going to be around there but I probably won't make the trip our again JUST for it if you know what I mean.

-[BOTAN SHRIMP] $6.95 🍤 I got to try their fall special which has botan shrimp, and salmon roe in it 🍤 it was pretty good but I guess for the price I paid, I wanted more shrimp 🍤 also a bit odd to me that the salmon roe was sweet as I found it is usually salty when I've had it in the past

-[FATTY TORO] $4.95 🐟 this is fatty tuna that is diced up, and it has diced up green onions mixed in as well 🐟 also pretty fresh 🐟 this was probably my favorite one

-[HAMACHI] $4.95 🐟 this is yellowtail, and it was pretty fresh for what it is 🐟 at the price you're paying, I can see why there isn't THAT much filling in it especially since it isn't fishy

-[SEA EEL] $4.95 🟤 this is reminiscent of unagi or is essentially the same as it 🟤 I would have liked a little more sauce and eel in the roll but otherwise it is decent

-[SPICY SALMON] $3.95 🐟 usually spicy salmon is my go to roll at any place that offers rolls 🐟 this was not my kind of spicy salmon because I just didn't really vibe with the sauce so I likely wouldn't order it again

-[SPICY SQUID] $3.95 🦑 typically when you order spicy anything in terms of rolls, there is barely any spice, this has the slightest kick if you are someone who can't eat spice 🦑 decently generous portion of squid which made it a bit difficult to cut for the cross section photo haha

-[SPAM MUSUBI] FREE 🆓 this was free because they are still doing a promotion where if you post about them on your Instagram story, you get a free handroll 🆓 if I'm being honest, I haven't had spam prior to this in well over a decade but I did enjoy this handroll 🆓 seems like there was mayo paired with it, and they went well together

📝 they're still doing a promotion where if you buy three handrolls, they give you a free drink 📝 also they give you a free handroll if you show them you mentioned them in your Instagram...

I totally get the hype now. It’s actually worth every penny and you’re not spending a ton either

A great spot for picnic items / grab and go. Lots of selection with so many items available for the different price points. Got 4 hand rolls 2 of each flavour salmon and California. Got the basic flavours as snacks for the kids and wanted to try out the OG style flavours before venturing out to other ones.

Tastes amazing and fish also tasted fresh in the rolls.

A very interactive experience too where it comes out of the packaging and you get to roll the seaweed onto your hand roll. Love that part and my kids enjoyed doing that as well

The soya sauce they give you was very nicely presented too, not like those little silver foil packets that have the potential to go all over the place. This is in a fish shaped tube that you can squeeze as you eat. Very well thought out.

Service was quick and they turnover customers quickly because of how easy and how much is available to the public.

I went when there was a promo and not sure if it’s an everyday thing but when you buy three, it came with a drink too, which made the worth even better.

It’s a small space, but people get in and out quickly so don’t be afraid to wait if you see a lineup.

Parking lot can get pretty horrendous as there’s so many cars. They have an underground parking which is a bit better.

Great...

If you love sushi, you have to check out Maki Mart! They've got over 20 flavors of maki rolls, and prices start as low as $2.95, which is honestly such a steal for how fresh and tasty everything is.

They've also got a promo going on where you get a free drink if you buy 3 rolls. So of course I got 3 rolls to get this promo:

A5 Wagyu- So rich and tender, it just melts in your mouth. Definitely a treat-yourself moment!

Fatty Toro- If you love tuna, this one is a no-brainer. The toro was so buttery and fresh, every bite felt like heaven... my absolute favorite!

Mentaiko Scallop- This one packed a punch! The briny, umami flavor from the mentaiko paired perfectly with the tender scallop. Honestly, I'm still thinking about it.

What makes them super unique is their half DIY style. The rice and nori (seaweed) are packaged separately to keep everything fresh, and you assemble them yourself following the instructions on the wrapper. It might feel a little tricky at first if you're not familiar with this Japanese style, but once you get the hang of it, it's actually really easy--and kinda fun!

Overall, it's a really conveconvenient and tasty concept, but they do sell out fast for the popular flavours (salmon, uni, octopus, etc), so I don't recommend to wait...