August 8 Chinatown — Restaurant in Toronto

Fast service, best of both worlds : Sushi & Dim Sum

What’s odd is that this place is just doors away from one of the city’s best nearly 24 hour Dim Sum spots - and far away from the most well known sushi areas. Odd location.

So we tried it out and just loved it! The Dim Sum is very good (most AYCE places have horrible Dim Sum and very little selection). They had Omausum, Eggplant as well as the standard Har Gow & Sum Mai. Their fried Octopus was SO lightly and expertly battered, was really impressed.

And THEN the sushi! I am all about the sashimi/nigiri and they have decent selection. Well made hand rolls too. I appreciate they have Octopus and other higher end Sashimi (see my pictures).

Impressed too at their appetizer list, variety of Tempura. And their Beef Tataki (rare beef sashimi) was truly sharp. I had one of the best Hot & Sour soups at an all you can eat place ever.

Here’s two things that stood out:

1. Lightening fast service - Go hungry, we went on a Saturday night dinner and it was STILL crazy fast. This is a franchise not a mom and pop so someone has done a good job on server training (didn’t have to ask for drink refills once)

2. They have spent a LOT on the decor and a renovation - this part of Chinatown the restaurants are authentic but many are old school dirty. You don’t go to the bathroom usually. Here, they have gutted this place so it’s clean (the hip decor is unusual so locals don’t know what this place is yet) and the downstairs washrooms are huge and clean (still 100% inaccessible though, but so is 99% of Chinatown).

Price point seems high at $30 but for the variety, service and atmosphere - this place is a hidden gem for groups and special occasions. You usually have to go to Queen or Bloor for this....which is partially why I’m worried this place may not work in this location- but we’ll be back, with 6 friends this...

TL;DR - Terrible restaurant management; decent food, quick service once you sat down (if you sit down...), good variety, good value for money.

1 star for Front of House (all respects) 3 stars for Service 4 stars for Food

This place has brutal restaurant management. It's a Friday night at 7:30pm, we walked in at 7. We're happy to wait, however, here's what the restaurant looks like currently (see uploaded, photo #1 & #2 taken at 7:15pm). There are 4+ tables (20+ open seats) available and the wait is literally out the door. These tables have been free since 7:15pm.

A table of 7 cancelled and they must have had another larger party call as the wait staff said they were pushing the tables together... But, wait for it.... They were going to call the party first and see if they were going to come.

The policy should be.... If the party doesn't show up at a certain time, the restaurant has the right to give up tables to other patrons. Period.

It's 8:10pm and there are still 18 seats are free (photo #4) . It's almost laughable. This restaurant needs a Manager to understand how turning tables over works as its AYCE as there are still people waiting (and some have been on a waiting list for 45m lol). They would have eaten and left by the time the time the 'large group' showed up by 8:00pm (btw, they never showed up. 😂)

As for the food, it came out lightning speed and was fresh and delicious. We appreciated the sashimi and the sushi tacos were great. Good variety (you know, once we got seated and our frustrations were calmed). Our server was top notch... Very aware, plates were taken away quickly and considerate. Lot of variety and order via iPad.

Cost on...

THE only all-you-can-eat sushi place you should go to (I'm saying this as an AYCE conosseur however you spell it). At least for now.

Been staying in Toronto for 3-4 years and been hunting for the best AYCE sushi place that has quick service, quality&variety food, great ambiance, and decently priced. All the places I have been to and was my fave before (Sakura on Bloor, Kuni Sushi Ya on Baldwin, Spring Sushi on Yonge) always lacks in one of the factors. A place can be cheap but suuuuper slow service (whats the point of AYCE??), or a place can just be crazy expensive but food was meh?

August 8 is the only place I found to fit all the factors. Service is super quick! Even with a full house! Once I order on the iPad, your order will come in less than 5-6mins (which is impressive for an AYCE place).

Most AYCE place have time limit once you sit down you can dine for only 2hour for example, but then they will take aaaaaaaages to send your order and before you get full and oops- they will say its your last order! But not August8!!

And variety of food is ah may zing!! From noodles to sushi to rolls to specialty rolls to fried foods to dessert! All. You. Must. Eat. As you can see the pics doesnt do justice BECAUSE I WAS SO BUSY EATING!

Anyways, price is decent. I don't mind paying $40 (including tax and tips) for a weekend dinner with 10 of my friends who are all full and happy at the end of the night. Not one person came home hangry. I am making August8 a monthly dinner outings with my friends.

I am not sponsored by them (I wish). I am just an excited conoseueeour that can finally stop hunting and stick to one sushi...