Minami has historically been our favourite sushi restaurant, though we haven't been to the Yaletown location in a few years. We went there last night for my wife's 40th birthday, and brought our two young daughters. The food was certainly subpar, not fresh, and the service was slow. All in all, the experience was quite disappointing, and I don't think we'll be back.
Lorne
Had been to Minami a few years earlier for our Anniversary and had the tasting menu. It was far better last time. Portions were better and quality was much better. Went back through some pictures to ensure it wasn't just negative recency bias. Disappointing overall. I expected more than average.
Pat
Right from the start, the hostess says “you need to be done in 2 hrs because there's another reservation.” Never have I been told something like that before, so that was weird. Meanwhile, not only were there multiple open tables the entire time, but it took 30 mins to get our drinks. Then, we're sitting by the back patio and there's a nice rat running around. Doors were closed, thankfully. Not what I want to see when I'm about to eat. The food? Worst sushi I've ever had. My entire party agreed. If someone was introduced to sushi this way, they would never eat sushi again. Will never go again.
Brian
Must be new ownership Food below par. There are much better high end Japanese options in Vancouver. Service horrible. Condescending and inattentive. “Forgot” to mention the 18% tip is auto added for party of 6. Vibe is not Japanese but an odd fusion west coast indecisive cluster.
Opentable Diner
Honestly I've been to minami and miku many times and this was one of the worst experiences I've had. Service was very slow. 15 mins to get the water another 15 mins for the drinks. When the food came the oshi sushi is my favorite but this time it felt like it was sitting in the kitchen for a while and by the time it got to our table it was cold almost like when you order take out. The soba noodles I remember having more scallops and prawns. This time we got 1 scallop and 2 prawns for the entire dish. Usually I don't write bad reviews but me and my friend both agreed this was not a good service / food for minami. Hopefully this feedback will improve future experiences.
Celeste
Extremely good chu-toro and seared scallop! Real standouts. Good nigiri and sake selection. Could have used less char/size on the A5 and unagi, and a bit more sear on the aburi, but quality was good. Tasty dessert, good service at the bar, but there's a TV on the left. Overall very nice.
KELLE
Where to start.. From the minute we entered to leaving the restaurant I was in heaven. Your staff is extremely professional and knowledgeable. We had Hana as our server. She was lovely attentive bright funny and extremely knowledgeable. The food was perfect and delicious. The atmosphere was inviting, beautifully decorated and immaculate. I can not wait to go back. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Thank you for making my sons birthday one to remember.
Alayna
Everything was fantastic. I tried the mushroom and cheese salad, the sautéed mussels, the champagne roll, and the salmon aburi sushi. All of it was cooked well and the presentation was excellent. Will be coming back!
George
Everything was high quality: food, drink, service, and ambiance. The outside garden seating was quiet and serene. What more could anyone want?
Eric
Staff's attitude and professionalism was amazing. They explained dishes we were unfamiliar with and delivered food and beverages quickly. Will be back.
Great food and service. We always get the very back table. Would be nice to get one of the booths one time.
nathan
Outstanding food and perfect service — attentive but not rushed. Oshi sushi and the Soba noodle entree were standouts. They had a pretty decent wine and sake selection as well.
Jon
We are huge sushi fans, and Minami did not dissappoint. Exceptional service that kept pace with our orders without overcrowding the table. Food was outstanding. We ordered the Chef's selection of sashimi, which was beautifully arranged, and of excellent quality. Also ordered multiple rolls, and a slew of nigiri sushi, and loved it all. Atmosphere is lively, and just a bit loud but fun and energetic. Overall, it's very pricey, more so than sushi we often order in America, but worth the splurge on vacation.
Jerry
Food was great. We picked the taste menu which presented a good variety of sushi, sashimis and even wagyu steaks. What we didn't like was the wait time. The restaurant wasn't very full but for every course we had to wait sometimes more than 10 minutes. Had to wait for a pint of a beer too. We enjoyed the food after all but could have been a more streamlined experience without the wait.
Alex
Loved the patio party! Had lots of amazing aburi sushi and grilled meat and veggies. Drinks were abundant.
Minami has historically been our favourite sushi restaurant, though we haven't been to the Yaletown location in a few years. We went there last night for my wife's 40th birthday, and brought our two young daughters. The food was certainly subpar, not fresh, and the service was slow. All in all, the experience was quite disappointing, and I don't think we'll be back.
Had been to Minami a few years earlier for our Anniversary and had the tasting menu. It was far better last time. Portions were better and quality was much better. Went back through some pictures to ensure it wasn't just negative recency bias. Disappointing overall. I expected more than average.
Right from the start, the hostess says “you need to be done in 2 hrs because there's another reservation.” Never have I been told something like that before, so that was weird. Meanwhile, not only were there multiple open tables the entire time, but it took 30 mins to get our drinks. Then, we're sitting by the back patio and there's a nice rat running around. Doors were closed, thankfully. Not what I want to see when I'm about to eat. The food? Worst sushi I've ever had. My entire party agreed. If someone was introduced to sushi this way, they would never eat sushi again. Will never go again.
Must be new ownership Food below par. There are much better high end Japanese options in Vancouver. Service horrible. Condescending and inattentive. “Forgot” to mention the 18% tip is auto added for party of 6. Vibe is not Japanese but an odd fusion west coast indecisive cluster.
Honestly I've been to minami and miku many times and this was one of the worst experiences I've had. Service was very slow. 15 mins to get the water another 15 mins for the drinks. When the food came the oshi sushi is my favorite but this time it felt like it was sitting in the kitchen for a while and by the time it got to our table it was cold almost like when you order take out. The soba noodles I remember having more scallops and prawns. This time we got 1 scallop and 2 prawns for the entire dish. Usually I don't write bad reviews but me and my friend both agreed this was not a good service / food for minami. Hopefully this feedback will improve future experiences.
Extremely good chu-toro and seared scallop! Real standouts. Good nigiri and sake selection. Could have used less char/size on the A5 and unagi, and a bit more sear on the aburi, but quality was good. Tasty dessert, good service at the bar, but there's a TV on the left. Overall very nice.
Where to start.. From the minute we entered to leaving the restaurant I was in heaven. Your staff is extremely professional and knowledgeable. We had Hana as our server. She was lovely attentive bright funny and extremely knowledgeable. The food was perfect and delicious. The atmosphere was inviting, beautifully decorated and immaculate. I can not wait to go back. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Thank you for making my sons birthday one to remember.
Everything was fantastic. I tried the mushroom and cheese salad, the sautéed mussels, the champagne roll, and the salmon aburi sushi. All of it was cooked well and the presentation was excellent. Will be coming back!
Everything was high quality: food, drink, service, and ambiance. The outside garden seating was quiet and serene. What more could anyone want?
Staff's attitude and professionalism was amazing. They explained dishes we were unfamiliar with and delivered food and beverages quickly. Will be back.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food and service. We always get the very back table. Would be nice to get one of the booths one time.
Outstanding food and perfect service — attentive but not rushed. Oshi sushi and the Soba noodle entree were standouts. They had a pretty decent wine and sake selection as well.
We are huge sushi fans, and Minami did not dissappoint. Exceptional service that kept pace with our orders without overcrowding the table. Food was outstanding. We ordered the Chef's selection of sashimi, which was beautifully arranged, and of excellent quality. Also ordered multiple rolls, and a slew of nigiri sushi, and loved it all. Atmosphere is lively, and just a bit loud but fun and energetic. Overall, it's very pricey, more so than sushi we often order in America, but worth the splurge on vacation.
Food was great. We picked the taste menu which presented a good variety of sushi, sashimis and even wagyu steaks. What we didn't like was the wait time. The restaurant wasn't very full but for every course we had to wait sometimes more than 10 minutes. Had to wait for a pint of a beer too. We enjoyed the food after all but could have been a more streamlined experience without the wait.
Loved the patio party! Had lots of amazing aburi sushi and grilled meat and veggies. Drinks were abundant.
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