Yuugi Izakaya — Restaurant in Toronto

A New Izakaya just opened up by Baldwin. Got the information through a well-trusted person on Instagram. The menu is very simple, and straightforward. I am impressed knowing that all ingredients are locally sourced from the Breadcrumbs being bought at Kensington Market to the Maple Syrup that's made in Quebec. The place is still work in progress, but I do love the interior thus far. Just a small detail of the decor and the comfort level will attract more customers.

Grapefruit Fizz is a cocktail I would order from this place. A simple drink that consists of Vodka, Mint, Tonic, and Grapefruit. This drink didn't taste the vodka, but more so the grapefruit.

Hotate Wasabi is something I would recommend to start. The scallops were sweet, and the wasabi brings that sweetness a touch that makes it a perfect fit for this dish. I also love how much octopus was on this plate.

Enoki Salad - A simple salad that with lovely slices of avocado, and good chunks of enoki mushrooms. I love how the enoki mushrooms were sweet, and that light dressing was just perfect.

Hamachi Tataki had a very interesting concept, but it was a delicious plate. the outside was crispy while that fish was oh so good. it had a perfect temperature for every bite you had.

Then my second drink was the Shibuya Mango which was the favorite thus far at the bar.

Yuugi Sushi was a delightful plate of sushi. nicely torched salmon with an incredible smoked shellfish. In my opinion, that smoked shellfish puts this dish over the top.

Akaebi Tartare was a mix of crispy shrimp, and nicely shrimp tartare. I feel like they used the whole shrimp from head to the meat. this is one of their daily special items for today.

LeTao Dessert - Double Frommage Cheesecake with a Green Tea Ice Cream.

Overall, a very exciting place to dine, and would put this to my top 5 of izakaya places in Toronto. I would also commend a 5-star rating for excellent service by the knowledgeable staff and amazingly fast service by...

Food was very mediocre at best. Tried the Wagyu Sushi, Yuugi Sushi, Ramen Poutine and the Udon Pepperoncino.

For the Sushi, you only get 6 pieces. Wagyu Sushi left a lot to be desired as the cut we received wasn’t as tender as one would anticipate. It took a long time to chew because it was very stringy.

As for the Yuugi Sushi, we noticed that some pieces only had an end tail cut which resulted only some pieces having only 1/4 of the salmon being on the bed of rice.

The Udon was okay? Edible and had some flavour. The sauce was a bit too runny for my tastes, however the char-siu (pork belly) bits I could tell was prepped from frozen and was rubbery in texture in both the Udon and the Poutine.

Upon mentioning the Poutine, was probably the worst out of the bunch in terms of value and individuality. The gravy just tastes like regular gravy you would get from a packet and so you’re better off spending that money on an actual place that specializes on poutines or another side dish if you’re trying this place.

Note that this is an Izakaya which is essentially a bar, so the food here is essentially more so on the lighter side when it comes to portions. I already expected this fact since I’ve been to many other places but theres admittedly better places around the Downtown Toronto Area.

If this is your first time, don’t come here believing you will be leaving here with full stomachs, because even after spending $95 on food and drinks (which were very good, don’t get me wrong on that), but we ended up leaving still hungry. There’s very heavy competition when it comes to this cuisine, so overall, I wouldn’t find myself coming back I’m afraid which is a shame due to the other reviews showing a...

A hidden gem for real Japanese food lovers! Yuugi Izakaya is the kind of place that instantly transports you to Japan. Tucked away in Toronto, it offers a small but thoughtfully crafted menu filled with authentic flavors and high-quality ingredients.

The best way to enjoy the experience here is to order several dishes and share. Prices are very reasonable considering the level of quality and care in the preparation.

We started with simple salt-and-pepper edamame, which were surprisingly flavorful. The seared tuna sashimi followed — juicy, fresh, and perfectly complemented by a tangy ponzu sauce. Absolutely top-quality tuna.

Then came the chicken karaage and pork gyozas — both spectacular. The gyozas stood out with a unique fried crust that kept them all connected, adding texture and visual appeal.

For sushi, we tried all three options, but the standout was the Yuugi sushi: torched salmon pressed sushi that delivered rich, smoky flavor in every bite.

We couldn't leave without tasting the wagyu beef. Yes, it's pricey — as it is everywhere — but it was melt-in-your-mouth tender and bursting with umami. Truly worth it.

Dessert included matcha ice cream and banana tempura. While both were good, they didn’t reach the same wow factor as the rest of the meal.

Service was excellent — professional, attentive, and respectful.

Highly recommended to anyone craving a real Japanese izakaya experience without...