Gyugyuya (Downtown Toronto) — Restaurant in Toronto

I recently visited Gyugyuya for lunch with an old friend. As usual, I was starving, so we ordered a feast: Gyu Gyu King Curry, Gyu Curry, Nabeyaki Curry, Oyako Don, and sides of Aji Hurai and Chicken Karaage to share. Right away, I noticed how much has changed since the restaurant first opened. I don't have photos from back then, but I recall the King Curry being much more generous. The overall flavor of the curry has also shifted. It's now less rich and heavy, which makes it easier to eat, but I was disappointed by the noticeably smaller portion of curry compared to the rice. It’s hard not to compare it to similar spots like Maji Curry or Gushi, where the spices are more aromatic, and the balance of flavors and textures feels more refined. That was lacking here, and it left me a bit underwhelmed. The most disappointing aspect, however, was the quality of the fried items. The Tonkatsu and Chicken Katsu were so thin it was hard to tell what meat I was eating. The seasoning was off, and both dishes were overcooked. The Oyako Don had poorly seasoned chicken and an unbalanced ratio of toppings to rice. The Aji Hurai made me question whether it was even mackerel. The Nabeyaki Curry was the biggest letdown, with barely any cheese, just two small pieces of broccoli, and a lone sausage on the centre, definitely not what I expected from the name. On the brighter side, the Gyu Curry had the best balance, and while the Chicken Karaage tasted like it was fried in old oil, it was still one of the more tolerable dishes compared to the others. Japanese cuisine is celebrated worldwide not just for its simple presentation but for the careful techniques used to highlight each ingredient and the balance they create together. Gyugyuya is one of the few places in downtown Toronto that has stood the test of time, supported by customers. However, to thrive for another 10 years, it’s crucial to reconsider what truly makes a great dining experience and aim for...

RAW CHICKEN SERVED and HORRIBLE SERVICE I was served pink raw chicken and received the worst customer service I’ve had to date! I’ve detailed the experience. I ordered chicken katsu. Received it pink and undercooked. I politely let the server know. She seemed confused. I asked her to please replace it with something safe. She told me she would check with the kitchen to clarify whether it was safe. She took the plate of raw meat back to the kitchen and let me know that the cook thought it was fine. I asked again for them to bring me a cooked piece of chicken and that I wasn’t going to eat chicken that was pink!!! She obliged. I mentioned that for the new order to not put sauce on it. No apologies, the server seemed confused and a bit scattered.

Chicken returns with sauce on it-After patiently waiting I was served chicken with sauce on it after simply asking for it to not have sauce. At this point, I had been waiting over 25 minutes in a fast food style eatery that normally takes 5 minutes to receive food. I was running late for a concert and asked to speak to the manager. This is where the nonsense got EVEN WORSE!

The manager came and by the time she arrived I was upset. I still had a piece of raw chicken on my side plate. She picked it up between her thumb and index and began squishing it into a pulp. It was seriously weird. She agreed it was undercooked and said it would be replaced. Nothing else was said. No apologies just some food play with pink raw chicken peppered in panko. Her behaviour was not only cold but super strange. At this point, I collected my things and walked out. I was a super fan of this restaurant previously. Needless to say, I won’t be returning and I’d advise not taking a chance on a bad food experience and the...

As other recent reviews have noted, this is not really Gyugyuya anymore, but they sure are still wearing Gyugyuya's skin and profiting off of it. I should've known when I saw the ugly AI image plastered outside advertising "Tyler's Curry" now available at Gyugyuya for online orders - I chalked it up to a ghost kitchen situation and didn't think much about it. I should've known when I saw the menu pictures, which looked... embarassing, to say the least, but I pressed on. I had walked 15 minutes in 45° heat & humidity to get here I figured it would probably be fine.. right?

And yeah, it's edible. If you've never had Japanese curry, it's passable. But if you have, and especially if you've had Gyugyuya's curry before, it is EXTREMELY disappointing. Gone is that beautifully rich and complex curry that once graced metal places with sizable portions of food, now replaced with smaller portions on basic white plates branded "Tyler's Curry" of overly sweet curry lacking in spice or really much flavour at all. I genuinely think the curry cubes you can get at the store have more flavour than what they're trying to pass off as curry. I got the gyu curry and while the beef and rice were fine, the cabbage I had been craving to give me something cool & crunchy to munch on was replaced by some sad slices of raw tomato that seemed like they were thoughtlessly tossed on to fulfill some kind of vegetable requirement. And while I'm glad they take credit cards now, I paid $20 after tax for a sad plate of curry that I could've made better at home.

Service is still pretty good, but the food is nothing like what it used to be. With so many other better eats in the area, I'd advise...