Izakaya Tomo — Restaurant in South Industrial District

Made a dinner reservation for 5 people and was told that they would only hold the seats for 15 minutes. We showed up early and it wasn’t even half full, however, I could see that it was going to fill up fast. The decor was nice and had a cozy feel to it.

10 minutes later, the place was full and there were people waiting for seats. There was one empty table but, true to their word, they held it for 15 minutes and the people did eventually show up.

I have to say the food was pretty good. Very good quality fish with a lot of detail put into it. Some of the items weren’t cooked in a standard way and I wasn’t used to it. For example the deep fried tofu was really chewy, not used to this as it’s usually soft (or extra soft).

The service was choppy as the waiter would provide service but not at the right times. “Comparisons are the devil” they say and I couldn’t agree more. The table right next to us was served by a different wait staff and all I could do was keep thinking “why aren’t we getting her instead”. They had all their food and they came later than us and finished before we did.

Getting water took a while and also getting tea. Additionally, the food came out in 4 different waves (whereas next door got it all together). The waves were not based on appetizer or hot and cold food either, just whatever-whenever.

Just seemed off. We ate 90% of our food in half the time we were there and then waited the other half of time for the last 10%. Maybe it’s the kitchen staff? Not sure but looking around it didn’t seem like it. The waiter never asked us during the entire time if we needed more tea or if the food was fine. Just had this feeling that things weren’t smooth for our table.

They also have to do something about those benches, my assets were sore after 5 minutes and no amount of jacket could pad it enough. 30 minutes in I had to stand and save myself.

Anyways the food was pretty good so I still gave them a pretty good tip.

This is probably not a “must revisit” for me as the food was great but it wasn’t something I’d bring my friends to enjoy. Maybe if I had the same experience as the table next to us I would be returning but alas, I didn’t. There are at least 3 other places in Edmonton I’d visit for...

Great little Japanese tapas restaurant located on the south side of the city! Love the concept and they really delivered on the food as well! Fresh quality fish and a variety of unique "street food" style dishes. If you're looking for something different, then this is definitely the place to go to.

We started off with the Tuna Yukke. Japanese style tuna tartare topped with a fresh quail egg yolk. Absolutely delicious! The egg yolk added a nice creaminess to the dish, and the chips, a much needed textural element. Next we had the Age Dashi Tofu. Light crispy exterior and a smooth and silky interior. This is my go to dish every time I go out for Japanese food, and it did not disappoint!

We then moved onto the Dashi Udon. This was my favourite course of the night! The dashi broth had a good depth of flavour, and the bonito flakes gave the dish a great smokiness. Reminded me of when I was back in Tokyo! We also ordered Kim Chi Fried Rice. Unfortunately, this dish was a bit underwhelming. Still good, but really nothing special.

And lastly, we ended our meal with scallop, mackerel and blue fin tuna belly nigiri. The fish just melted in my mouth. A bit heavy handed on the wasabi, but nothing I couldn't handle.

Good service and really tasty dishes. It definitely satisfied my craving for...

Visited for the first time today and oh my goodness, I can’t believe I haven’t been here before. In my opinion, it's one of the best Japanese restaurants in Edmonton. First off, the space is on the smaller side but tables are spread out which gives you & your party privacy to hear each other.

Food came out relatively quickly when we were dining in. We got the aburi saba to start and it’s probably the best torched mackerel we have had. I understand not many people like the taste of saba because it’s more strong & fishy but if you like it, I highly recommend it. Their sashimi is super fresh, our scallop was plump and had a hint of sweetness in each bite. I believe all their sashimi comes with fresh wasabi too. We got the negi toro hosomaki and it was a perfect ratio of rice to fish filling. Their hachigatsu maki was also delightful but I do wished there was more pickled daikon and shiso because we couldn’t taste it as much. The portion of their stir-fried udon was on the smaller side than what we expected so would probably skip that next time we come in.

The staff are truly welcoming and accommodating to your needs. They are attentive in clearing empty plates off the table to make it a seamless dining experience. I will definitely revisit this restaurant whenever I am...