"Hanmoto is one of those perfect places to impress a potential date. Unmarked and slightly off-the-grid, it oozes with cool without trying. The space is cozy and warm with an open kitchen and eclectic décor. Seating is a little tight and you might have to wait for a table, but it’s worth it as Hanmoto specializes in greasy snack foods with a delicious Japanese flavour. Hanmoto's Dyno wings- deboned chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and bacon, wrapped in gyoza skin- are a must." - Sovereign State
"Hanmoto, Dundas West by Sovereign State. Hanmoto is one of those perfect places to impress a potential date. Unmarked and slightly off-the-grid, it oozes with cool without trying. The space is cozy and warm with an open kitchen and eclectic décor. Seating is a little tight and you might have to wait for a table, but it’s worth it as Hanmoto specializes in greasy snack foods with a delicious Japanese flavour. Hanmoto's Dyno wings- deboned chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and bacon, wrapped in gyoza skin- are a must."
Cool little spot with great food. We tried the dynamo wings, mussels, deviled eggs, and miso ice cream. Everything was very good with lots of Asian style flavors. Would be nice to have an option to add one more egg as they serve 3, would be nice to have 2 each when ordering for 2 people. Miso ice cream like everyone says is a must order. Never had ice cream like this before. I wish they sold it in tubs and I would buy it. Wings are a decent size with some salad at the bottom. I wish they dressed the salad with some sauce otherwise its just shredded lettuce and doesn't add much depth to the dish. Mussels are decent quality and are $24 for 6, I wouldn't order again though. The menu has lots of options and will definitely come back to try the rest. Seating can be a bit crowded as it is a smaller space. Looks like you can wait a while if they are busy.
Charles
Google
Definition of a “hidden” gem. Maybe not so hidden recognition-wise, but it definitely took us quite a bit of looking to even find this place, as it was pitch black in the evening. We got the tuna tartare, dyno wings, enoki mushrooms, and miso steak. The miso steak was just alright, with it being slightly overcooked. The tuna tartare and dyno wings were exceptional, however the price was relatively steep at around $30 for both combined.
Alice Xu
Google
Be prepared to wait 1-2 hours during peak times. Didn't have a chance to try the food but cocktails were good, very small space during winter so there's barely any seating.
EDIT: got to try the food, the eggs were my favourite but overall food was interesting to try
Jaswinder Taank
Google
Cute place. Reservations are not possible. Best to come here on a weekend. I got the Salmon Aburrí, Moto Eggs, Enoki, Dyno Wings. I would ask them for a spoon for the Salmon Aburrí, and I would probably pass on the Dyno Wings next time, but everything else was good.
For drinks, the Paper Crane is good.
jiwon Yoo
Google
I went to this restaurant on my birthday.
My boyfriend found this place and took me there.
We ordered okra, katsu bun, wings and salmon aburi with some beer and cocktail.
I was surprise by the grilled okra because I've nevere had this type of okra dish.
I don't know what they used for seasoning, but it was so good. It was my number one favourite out of other menu that we ordered.
Also other menu that we ordered was also super great.
The server was very nice as well.
The ambience of the restaurant was really cute with good vibe.
I will never my first visit at the hanmoto because I got a boyfriend as a birthday gift!
I can't describe how happy I was that night.
If you are looking for izakaya to go on a date or go for small drinks with good food, you must check this place!
Me and my boyfriend will go back to try all the menu!
Katie Ngo
Google
Hidden gem with Japanese bar style food. Menu is split between raw and cooked and everything tried was so good. Okra portion was large and the seasoning is comparable to Chat bar. Aburi salmon dish was a favourite at our table and tuna dish was fresh. The katsu burger was massive and perfect for 2 people and even 4 people. Would love to come back to try everything else on the menu.
Steffen Wiseman
Google
This provided one of the better dining experiences I’ve had in Toronto and IMO that’s saying a lot. Loved the atmosphere. Flavours and cook on point. Service good.
Alyssa A
Google
Wanted to try out this place because I heard that it’s always busy. We waited for about 30-45 mins for a table as they do not take reservations. The service was friendly, helpful with the menu and recommended some great dishes. For drinks we got the Arisaka Sour, Cops + Rabas and a classic whiskey sour. The food was delicious! Highly highly recommend their salmon aburi and the moto eggs. We also got the enoki and karaage which were fantastic! Per person we spent about 40 dollars for 1 drink and 4 dishes to share. We enjoyed every dish and the overall ambiance of the restaurant. We would definitely come back!
*Note: not the easiest to find, you have to go around the corner of Lakeside to find it as it looks similar to a house. Not wheelchair accessible. Not much wiggle room between tables as it’s small and intimate. I’d say it’s fine for a max of 4 people but more than that would be tricky to accommodate.