Aburi Hana

Dined at Aburi Hana prior to head chef departing. Food was excellent. Unfortunately, the desserts did not meet the standards of the other dishes. Ordered tea but had to ask repeatedly to have the teapot refilled with hot water…perhaps the hot water kettle should be left for the diners to refill themselves while in a private room.

A stellar dining experience. From the daring Executive Chef Ryusuke Nakagawa leading an impeccable kitchen, to the knowledgeable sake directors, expert wait staff and entire kitchen crew. Aburi Hana is a restaurant like no other. Come here to savour top tier creation made from the finest Japanese and Canadian ingredients.

Great service and the menu was very well crafted. The duck and mushroom dish left a bit to be desired and was quite tough. I would say overall the Japanese dishes were extremely well crafted while the more Canadian inspired dishes felt a bit unrefined. Would definitely still come back to try it again.

we settle in for the 8-course tasting menu ($300 per person) and 6-drink pairing ($150 per person) as different staff come and went to present items. Everyone was polite and friendly but also seemed to be regurgitating a well rehearsed script. It’s felt oddly formal even as I tried cracking jokes with them. Oh well, I’m here for the food. The meal starts with the lobster usuimame a piece of barely cooked lobster wrapped around a delicate fish paste that’s well… fishy. A swig of water helps dissipate the bad taste in my mouth as does drinking the silky sweet pea infused dashi at the bottom of the bowl. I even admire the cute bird carved from an heirloom carrot before popping it into my mouth and enjoying the sweetness. The meal improves as the otoro and caviar sushi monaka is presented. The crispy mochi wafer is filled with a layer of well vinegared sushi rice and topped with tuna belly, pickled daikon, creamy dollops of uni (?), and of hefty teaspoon of caviar. Each bite is deliciously fresh and flavourful. It’s then a glass of hot sake is poured for the lamb yuba, a cube of four-hour braised lamb belly topped with silky layers of yuba mixed with Japanese mustard. It’s a dish that goes well with the theme of the “early spring” menu: a reminder that sometimes in the spring, a hit of winter comes back, and you’ll want something hearty. I’ve never liked flowers, but the maguro flower is one I’d love to get. The rose petals, made from two type of lean tuna, sit on a bed of grated radish. The tender aged tuna goes wonderfully with the thickened daikon soy and scallion oil that surrounds the plate. I can see why this is considered a timeless dish, beautiful to look at and a treat to eat. Every restaurant seems to be doing the flash fried scale-on amadai. Don’t get me wrong, I love the dish and am not complaining, but it’s such a fan favourite that it’s gracing everyone’s menu. Aburi Hana creates an amadai cauliflower, where the tilefish is charbroiled then flash fried. We’re told that if we want a spoon to enjoy the dashi and cauliflower sauce at the end to just ask. I got it right at the beginning and was glad that I could have a spoon of the savoury sauce with every taste of the fish. My heart went a flutter seeing the kamo akamiso containing two of my favourite ingredients – roasted duck and maitake mushroom – on one plate. While the fowl is a touch chewy, it’s nonetheless flavourful from being smoked and the skin having lovely crispiness. You really need a strong protein to hold up against the deep rich miso sauce, that gives the dish a savoury taste that’s balanced off by a sweet burst from the honey pearls. My only complaint is the wine pairing, which tasted off and was much too light for the dish. This is a long review head to Gastro World for the rest.

Great ambient, excellent service! My 3rd time went there. This time was a bit disappointed, there were few pieces of fishes were very fishy taste! Apart from that, the rest are ok. Their presentation is one of the best in Toronto I would say. I can see they put up a lot of efforts in it. The special flowers in the food are all from Japan, very impressive.

Such an incredible kaiseki experience. Chef Ryusuke Nakagawa put so much creativity and thoughtfulness into each dish. Gorgeous display of the early summer seasonality. Also big shout out to Pastry Chef Aiko Uchigoshi who despite we hadn’t met in person but her Miyazaki Mango Young Ginger dish and olive oil cucumber ice cream are both so fun and delicious to eat. Thank you! Can’t wait for the new season menu already. Looking forward to the next food adventure with Aburi Hana.

Michelin star high end japanese restaurant. Tasting menu is excellent, full of flavor and creative taste. Service very attentive !

Absolutely amazing experience. One of the best Michelin star restaurants that we've been to. We had the 12 course dinner at the chef's counter. The service was impeccable and everyone was so kind. The menu was their spring menu, which offered such variety and well-thought dishes. I recommend the sake pairing, as it complements the food so well. I highly recommend.

We booked the counter seating and 8 course tasting menu, plus additional dessert, additional truffle tuna caviar sushi roll, and mocktails. This is definitely a high end experience with the best quality of ingredients, presentation, prices, service, etc. Deserving of the Michelin star they get every year From the start to the finish of this elevated dining experience the customer service was impeccable. They took our coats, and offered little tables for my purse, answered our questions about each course, and helped us with lighting to take photos. They also provided a copy of the menu to take home as a memento. Each course was carefully prepared in the open kitchen, and showcasing japanese cooking techniques using seasonal ingredients. Every few months they have a new menu. We found each course to be quite delicious, not every course was mind-blowing though. My favourites were the lobster with uni and the mango panna cotta, the wagyu with natto was also yummy.

we settle in for the 8-course tasting menu ($300 per person) and 6-drink pairing ($150 per person) as different staff come and went to present items. Everyone was polite and friendly but also seemed to be regurgitating a well rehearsed script. It's felt oddly formal even as I tried cracking jokes with them. Oh well, I'm here for the food. The meal starts with the lobster usuimame a piece of barely cooked lobster wrapped around a delicate fish paste that's well... fishy. A swig of water helps dissipate the bad taste in my mouth as does drinking the silky sweet pea infused dashi at the bottom of the bowl. I even admire the cute bird carved from an heirloom carrot before popping it into my mouth and enjoying the sweetness. The meal improves as the otoro and caviar sushi monaka is presented. The crispy mochi wafer is filled with a layer of well vinegared sushi rice and topped with tuna belly, pickled daikon, creamy dollops of uni (?), and of hefty teaspoon of caviar. Each bite is deliciously fresh and flavourful. It's then a glass of hot sake is poured for the lamb yuba, a cube of four-hour braised lamb belly topped with silky layers of yuba mixed with Japanese mustard. It's a dish that goes well with the theme of the "early spring" menu: a reminder that sometimes in the spring, a hit of winter comes back, and you'll want something hearty. I've never liked flowers, but the maguro flower is one I'd love to get. The rose petals, made from two type of lean tuna, sit on a bed of grated radish. The tender aged tuna goes wonderfully with the thickened daikon soy and scallion oil that surrounds the plate. I can see why this is considered a timeless dish, beautiful to look at and a treat to eat. Every restaurant seems to be doing the flash fried scale-on amadai. Don't get me wrong, I love the dish and am not complaining, but it's such a fan favourite that it's gracing everyone's menu. Aburi Hana creates an amadai cauliflower, where the tilefish is charbroiled then flash fried. We're told that if we want a spoon to enjoy the dashi and cauliflower sauce at the end to just ask. I got it right at the beginning and was glad that I could have a spoon of the savoury sauce with every taste of the fish. My heart went a flutter seeing the kamo akamiso containing two of my favourite ingredients - roasted duck and maitake mushroom - on one plate. While the fowl is a touch chewy, it's nonetheless flavourful from being smoked and the skin having lovely crispiness. You really need a strong protein to hold up against the deep rich miso sauce, that gives the dish a savoury taste that's balanced off by a sweet burst from the honey pearls. My only complaint is the wine pairing, which tasted off and was much too light for the dish. This is a long review head to Gastro World for the rest.

Tried out aburi hana for the first time (definitely not the last). Lovely spot hidden in Yorkville. We were immediately greeted at the front before we were taken to our seats. We tried out their 8 course menu and it did not disappoint. My favourite dishes were probably the Maguro flower and uni somen. Super flavorful and refreshing dishes with exquisite presentation. Service was exceptional, staff were very attentive. They also treated us to champagne and treats for our anniversary! Highly recommend!

It's a must visit in Toronto! Highly recommend. Great service, premium quality food. Great selection of drinks too. What else can you ask for? Great place for date night. Don't forget to book a reservation ahead of time.

Delicious kaiseki tasting menu in Yorkville. It's tucked away in a quiet alley! We chose the private dining room and it was a great experience. The service was very warm and attentive. The timing of the courses was very good too. My partner and I are fast eaters but were never left waiting too long. A great date night place!

Hands down my fav Michelin star place I've ever been to. If they earned 2 stars I honestly wouldn't be surprised. It was my first time in Canada and they were one of my fav parts of my trip. The workers here were so sweet and made me a list of places that I should try next Food: don't want to spoil the fall menu but every single item in the 12 course was perfect and really paid homage to Canada, Japan, and fall. Service: this was top tier service 100/10. One of the things I don't like about tasting menus is sometimes having to wait long periods of time between dishes but this place had the timing down perfectly. They knew exactly when you finished your dish and they were ready with the next one in less than 4 mins Ambience: we chose the private dining room and i highly recommend it if you want a private intimate setting to enjoy your meal

Was back again for their late spring menu. Amazing from top to bottom. Phenomenal service and beautiful decor as well Highlight was pretty much everything but extra special standout was the o-toro canapé, chef's signature tuna dish and the very creative pork belly dish. Well orchestrated and planned service and beautiful plating. It is frankly criminal that this is not at least a 2 star or perhaps 3 star. I've been to nearly 40 Michelin starred restaurants and this is among the better ones. Definitely top 3 in Toronto.

Exceptional!! We came to celebrate a birthday and they definitely made it more special with a happy birthday sign on the desserts which btw has multiple courses. Food: beautiful and delicious. Different textures and flavours perfect combinations. Portions were pretty generous in each course for a tasting menu. We went with the sake pairing which I highly recommend and it definitely brings the entire dining experience to a different level. The presentation and knowledge from them is out of this world! Service: very wonderful and the private room was perfect for our party of 4. Nice and quiet and we were able to take in each dish at our pace. We especially enjoyed learning about all the different sakes that was presented to us. Michelin star well deserved!

Food is nice but not proportionate to the price. The head chef only interacted with us once, but serving Japanese mainly (perhaps its' language issue?). If he had taken the time to communicate with other customers, he would have known I speak Japanese too.

Is it just me or are you a sucker for beautiful dishware and presentation. We were lucky enough to get a wait list reservation for v-day and the vibes couldn't be more perfect. The presentation of each dish was beautiful, and the service was absolutely seamless. Each dish was accompanied by a thorough and thoughtful explanation of the Chefs inspiration behind these dishes. Their service is the standard that all fine dining should aim to achieve but is hard to find (Especially now). They were informative but unpretentious and very personable. The ambiance was quiet and serene as the chefs were literally whispering into microphones to avoid disturbing guests which elevated the experience Food wise the following 4 items really stood out to me Maguro flower: this was presented so beautifully and tasted amazing too, the elements all worked well together and the fish was super fresh Managatsuo Miso zuke: The fish was so crispy and tender and the sauce was slightly sweet and a great complement Anago Kaburamushi: I've actually never had cooked uni before, cooking it took away some "uni" flavor but left the creaminess and you know I love uni Foie gras oshi: The foie gras was so buttery and tender and rice was well seasoned I must say the price is not cheap. Without any alcohol our bill was around $1000 for 2 people including tax and an autograt of 20%. I'm a bit sad we didn't get to do the sake pairing because we were hungover from Superbowl Sunday Nonetheless, it was a great experience and definitely something that you should try at least once!

Personally a fan of the kitchen counter seats and when there's a chance I'm always in for it! Recently opened and I can foresee this place being on constant wait list. All dishes tasted amazing and service before, during and after each dish was well executed. Portions were satisfying and I did leave without feeling hungry. Of the 15 dishes served there were 3 that stood out for me. Quebec Foie Gras chawanmushi - smooth and rich Aburi Miyazaki Wagyu - love beef Wasanbon Ice Cream - unique ice cream experience If there is 1 criticism it would be that one of the waiters has a strong cologne on which was distracting and took away from the meal.

This is a newly open kaiseki restaurant. Since I've never tried Kaiseki before, I decided to give it a try after seeing a lot of nice photos. It turned out that I still prefer a sushi omakase instead of Kaiseki for better value for money. The food here was all presented beautifully but was missing the wow factor in terms of flavour. There was not a dish that wowed me nor disappointed me overall. The service was great and atmosphere was nice. They had a few private rooms near the entrance and some kitchen bar seats inside. Me and my friend both chose the 15-course set. Here comes some comments on the dishes: - Otoro: It tasted good, but not fatty enough. - Japanese barracuda: The mashed mango sauce tasted really refreshing. It was a creative dish. - Sea water eel: Nice and soft. Served in a really delicate container. - Chawanmushi with foie gras: It tasted yummy and the texture was fine. Although missing a wow factor, this was one of my favourite dishes. - Aburi sawara: My least favourite dish. It was just too overwhelming. This dish had a lot of ingredients they put on top of the fish such as flowers, ikura and radish. The servers were lined up in a row like a production line in the factory to put each ingredients on top and they used some dry ice to create the fog. They just put way too much radish which completely covered the flavour of the fish. The radish didn't taste refreshing but instead had a smelly taste. - Lobster tempura: One of my favourite dishes. It tasted tender inside and cripsy outside. Flavour was good and it was a perfect match with the mushroom powder. - Owan: The fish soup tasted plain. Nothing special. I didn't like it. - Seared amadai: Fish tasted great. Celery and kale puree was interesting. I didn't like the side vegetables though. - A5 Wagyu: I really liked the egg yolk sauce and the Wagyu. I wished they could have provided more sauces because it was plain without the sauce. - Apple vinegar cured saba: It was very nicely presented. To highlight the fact that the saba was marinated with apple vinegar, they put the fish on top of the apple. Fish tasted refreshing with the vinegar. - Ginger monkfish liver: They put too much ginger and not enough liver. I could barely tasted the fish liver. I didn't like this dish. Ju Izakaya had a much better monkfish dish. - Otoro Temaki with miso soup: The seaweed was the second best in town I've ever tried. The most crispy seaweed was still from Rin sushi uptown. Overall, it tasted great. - Concentrated milk pudding with caramel and Japanese fine sugar: One of my favourite dishes here. The flavour of the concentrated milk was so strong! It tasted better without the sugar powder. - Tofu dessert: I personally really hated tofu with sweet flavour, I just thought they didn't go along. However, the taste of this dish was acceptable to me. I didn't like the sweet crumble though. Afterall, I was 80-90% full after the 3-hour long dinner and it was a 3.5-star experience. I probably won't put Kaiseki as my first choice for special events in future. I personally thought Yasu had better value for money, with more quantity of food and the wow factor. However, I wouldn't blame this restaurant because that seems to be the problem of Kaiseki cuisine itself that a lot of money you pay is put into the presentation and plating of the food.

We went there on a weekday night for celebration. This place has top notch service that made us feel like VIPs. Dishes were outstanding with really fresh ingredients and each gave us different flavours. My favourite one was the beef tongue soup which was very flavourful. Highly recommended for special event as it is by far the most pricey place I've been to.

Food-wise it's a 3, overall it's a 4. We liked the service and privacy. Terrible wine recommendation. My friend who was dinging with me knows her wine palate and what the sommelier described did not match her expectations. The worst is that they didn't pour her a taste. They brought her the bottle to show and a carafe for a glass. Poured the entire thing and left the room. At this level of a restaurant, it was disappointing. I haven't seen my friend for a while, so she didn't want to ask for a different wine instead. We just dived into our conversation. They didn't come back to check on her wine till much later. It was as so disappointing that she moved to a beer after. Theatrics and presentation were great. Half of the Aburi course was good. The rest fell short. There was a scallop dish ... it was so poorly presented it felt like my niece was trying to put it together for me at home. The dessert failed miserably. It wasn't refined in the presentation. It was memorable only because both the dessert sucked. Overall our waiter was nice and friendly.

Authentic kaiseki from a Japanese chef. Every plate you get feels like a gift. Fresh and cute. Very friendly chef!

We booked this the day the Michelin guide came out. We were there on time for our reservation but had to wait a bit to be seated. No worries we had nothing else to do and it's a beautiful place, yes even the front. Once the table was ready we were let in to a dramatic room with seats around a huge kitchen. Looked incredible. We chose the sake pairing from a very knowledgeable sake expert. So far so great. Ok so I just didn't love the food. It was fine. It was all fine. Tasting menu. Some highlights , like the miso soup. But on the whole ? Meh. The sake pairing was incredible And we loved every single sake even though we were never big fans. Bill came to.....1400. . At some point value to satisfaction matters and we were not satisfied. if the bill was half what it looks was would say 3.5/5. At 1400 I think 2/5 Is appropriate.

Hana is in a discrete location at a basement of a building in Yorkville. You can choose to do private dining or sit at the chef's counter (there are only two seating time). I chose the latter so that I can enjoy the skillful chef at work. At the price that this meal is at ($195 before tax and tip), the food and service is exactly what you expect. The flavour that the chef has created for each dish is very extraordinary. Everything tastes great and also not exactly what you expect. I usually don't like over the top presentation or garnishes that can't be eaten. However, there's a lot of thought, meaning, and creativity with the presentation. I truly appreciated the effort they put into each dish. The service was also top notch. It didn't feel stiff like at other expensive restaurants. I can't wait to go back when they change the menu.

We went to Aburi-Hana to celebrate my birthday and my husband's retirement. The food was delicious, the presentation was exquisite and the service was attentive and friendly. My husband's favourite course was the beef tongue black truffle owan. I had a lot of trouble choosing favourites because all the courses were so good but I liked the maguro flower and the kobako gani and ebi imo. We will go back again.

***Warning: Ladies, Don't wear your good shoes!!! At the start of our dining experience, this restaurant's lack of thoughtfulness ruined it for us. There is metal grate flooring at the entrance of the restaurant which destroys high heels. I was so excited to dine here that I decided to wear my brand new Louboutins, but sadly, the heels of both shoes got stuck in the floor grates, stripping the patent leather off my shoes. It's not acceptable for a high profile venue like this to have floors that can destroy your footwear. I reached out to the manager who assured me someone would contact me about this situation, but it's been 2 months and nothing. The manager, who up until now was really understanding and responsive, is no longer replying to my emails. For a Michelin restaurant I expect more!!!

It was definitely 5 stars and beyond the first time I went. I was completely blown away by the flavour profiles, presentation, and service. That was before they received a star. Not sure if it was entirely because of the rise in status, shipping of ingredients post pandemic, or inflation, but portions were definitely smaller the second time I went (memorably the amount of a5 miyazaki wagyu you get). I did not enjoy my overall experience the second time here as much (maybe a novelty thing?) the presentation was not as beautiful either. But I know Chef Nakagawa is talented and works very hard, I have a lot of respect for the team, so I hope to revisit someday!

We had an amazing dining experience at Hana and I highly recommend checking it out if you can. We always try to sit at chef's counter if we can. Hana's chef's counter experience was one of the best ones we've had because of how close we were to the kitchen (closer than Alo chef's table). There are also five private dining rooms that can accommodate two to eight guests. The menu changes every month and aims to showcase the seasonality of both Japanese and local ingredients. The dishes were refined, flavours were unique and presentation on each dish was beautiful. Some of my faves from the night include: - Aburi Kamasu Nigri - Japanese barracuda, Heirloom tomato shiso snow, karasumi, fermented mango and micro shiso - loved the unique combination of the shiso show against the seared barracuda - Seared Amandai "Urokoyaki" with crystallized fish scales - Apple Vinegar Cured Saba Nigiri - Wasanbon Ice Cream with black sugar sphere Hana is $$$ ($200-$350 per person pre drinks, tax , and automatic 18% tip) but definitely makes for a great celebration or special occasion dinner spot. Our main feedback would be the service. We came on an emptier night so there were a lot of waiters watching us and the waiters stood very close behind us during the meal to clear the dishes and were intrusive at times. I'm sure this is something they are fine tuning since they had only been opened for ~ a month.

We tried the $195 15 courses menu. Amazing atmosphere, beautiful presentation of food, extraordinary services throughout the entire dinner. Love the entire experience there. Will definitely go back again to try the other set menu. Great place for celebration of your special day/ dates/ or business meetings.

This restaurant is absolutely amazing. Each dish paired well with all the different sake pairing that was recommended. Although the portion do look small, but you won't be leaving there feeling hungry still. It is 350/person and sake pairing was excluded. I had an incredible experience here and will definitely go back for their new menu in November. Food and service are definitely worth the money. It is once in a life time experience for a foodie.

A Japanese fusion Kaiseki, I tried several traditional kaiseki but I gotta say this fusion version was very enjoyable, you could tell the chef took time and care to balance the flavours and bring a lot of creativity to the presentation. Every dish tasted great and looked awesome. Sure some ingredients weren't traditional and more local to Canada but the execution to the dishes really showed respect to Japanese kaiseki yet bringing flavours and smells from Canadian ingredients. We had zero complaints from any dishes from our 15 course meal.

It was a really nice experience.The menu is creative and adorable. Nakagwa is a charming chief.