Kazu

Was lucky to be able to eat inside without the lineup. Food is delicious, service is attentive. I was surprised by the price of the dishes, seems a lot more reasonable than anywhere else. All the dishes are full of flavour and light. The place is super cramped though, I was amazed by how the servers were able to move around tight places to serve dishes. Have been to there several times over the years and it never disappoints. The small space is a real problem but everything else is over expectations. Order to take out would be the best

Absolutely amazing! We tried the 48h pork, smoked duck, homemade tofu, salmon don, and the salmon and tuna bowl. Every single thing was fresh and delicious. The service was insanely fast but very chaotic. Tables are incredibly tight.

Hands down one of the best authentic Japanese izakaya places I’ve been to. The owner was extremely friendly and courteous, and you can clearly see that come through with his team members, food and service. Congrats to the Kazu team. A must visit if you’re in Montreal… the lineup out the door speaks for itself. Will definitely be back the next time I’m in Montreal.

This place is always packed so expect a long line. I ordered takeout instead and it was ready in 20mins. You can even call ahead to pick up your order and skip the line. They have a wall of specials for the week and all the dishes are so creative and unique. My favourite dishes were the fried green beans with truffle dip and the tuna salmon bowl! The eel hand rolls were also very tasty. The eggplant dip was a bit bland and from the other times I have eaten here it had been better. Maybe an off day. Will definitely be back for takeout!

The dishes were full of flavours and delicious. The place was a little cramped though, I was impressed by how the servers were able to move around in tight places with the big dishes. There's always a line up in front of the restaurant, so prepare to wait for at least 30 minutes to an hour. The 48 hours pork powl was conforting, delicious and even yummier with the curry sauce on. The fresh marinaded salad was great. The fresh raw tuna and salmon sashimi on vinegar rice and a side of salad was to die for, but the beef short ribs was definitely the highlight of the evening, it tasted heavenly. Will definitely come back to try their others dishes.

After years we finally made it to Kazu and boy, it is indeed worth the hype and the wait outside in line. If you're looking for authentic Japanese food which is priced so fair (especially compared to other Montreal restaurants!) this is it. 10/10 everything we tried was delicious and authentic. We had several shared starters, main and desserts and loved everything.

Always an excellent meal at Kazu! The wait might be long (1 hour last Sunday when arriving at 6:30pm), so plan to go when you aren’t starving, but it is so so worth it. The ingredients are such high quality and so fresh, and the prices are very reasonable for the portions. Makes you feel like you entered a family-run izakaya in Japan, where the staff is so friendly. My recommendations would include the toro don with ikura and hotate (people came to us to ask what we ordered because of how good it looks, and the taste matches the appearance! salmon don is also very good) as well as the grilled octopus legs (grilled to perfection). Homemade tofu is very tasty if you are looking for a vegetarian option.

I love coming to Kazu regardless of the wait. The service is great, with servers always happy to have you. My favorite drink is the yuzu beer, and the food is phenomenal. Highlights include the shrimp burger, Bibimbap, and Okonomiyaki. Be sure to try their specials on the wall.

Absolutely amazing! We tried the 48h pork, smoked duck, homemade tofu, salmon don, and the salmon and tuna bowl. Every single thing was fresh and delicious. The service was insanely fast but very chaotic. Tables are incredibly tight.

I had the pleasure of trying the tonkatsu at this restaurant, and it was absolutely fantastic! The dish was beautifully presented and the portion size was generous -- perfect for a hearty meal. The pork cutlet was crispy on the outside, tender, and juicy on the inside. It was fried to perfection without being greasy. The golden-brown breading had a nice crunch and paired wonderfully with the rich, savory sauce drizzled on top. The sauce was tangy and flavorful, enhancing the overall taste of the cutlet without overwhelming it. The sides were equally impressive. The fresh cabbage salad added a light, refreshing contrast, and the pickled veggies offered a great palate cleanser between bites. The rice was fluffy and a perfect complement to the richness of the pork. From the quality of the food to the attention to detail in the plating, this place nailed it. If you're craving authentic and delicious tonkatsu, I highly recommend giving this place a try. I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

Popular place with a very large menu. The food was fresh and full of flavor. Great service and extremely polite waitress. Good options for vegetarians and pescatarians. The dumplings were amazing. If you like Sake, try some here! They don't take reservations so plan on waiting some time. The line moved quickly and it was worth it.

My absolute favorite Izakaya in Montreal! The food is not necessary traditionally although there are many traditional dishes but a lot of fusion as well. The owner and staff are pleasant but don't expect to chitchat a lot because the place is always hopping! If you're expecting a spacious kitchen, it is not. Expect tight quarters but that's a lot of its charm! Go try it. You won't be disappointed.

I am a hardcore izakaya fan from dozens of trips to Japan. Kazu matches the best, food wise. The sake collection isn't huge but the extra sake list goes well beyond the regular menu shortlist. We had a nice dry Kirinzan from Niigata. Pork belly, short ribs, fried beans, and a few more were delicious. The atmosphere is lively and service was excellent. The only drawback is the long line waiting for your table. It is a place to eat, drink and get out of the way.

I dined here about 2 weeks ago with a group of friends on a trip to Montreal. I got the dragon roll and pork potstickers, and both were very delicious. The menu is on the more limited side, but everything looked great. Menu is expensive for the quantity of food. Location is excellent, right next to the Notre Dame. Everyone enjoyed their food in my party. Service was initially pretty slow (I don't think anyone checked on us after seating for at least 30 min) which is the reason I detracted a star.

Delicious. Surprisingly not busy on a Thursday night an hour before close, but still waited 5mins for a seat for 1 at the bar. Fast service. Delicious meal. Beef was so tender and perfectly seasoned. Owner was present, serving and chatting with customers Lots of house specials not in the regular menu. Affordable. Good portions. A Need-to-return to try more dishes.

The food was good but the place was too crowded The servers were all very kind and accommodating The food was freshly made n flavorful My son ate 2 main entrees and loved the #29 beef ribs n I had the same n loved it too The wait time was long I would have preferred sautéed veggies or stir fry instead of lettuce salad

Best food in Montreal!! The best!! So good, we came back for dinner 3 nights straight. We were there for 3 nights. It's that good. First night, my friend and I came for Turkish food down the street with an Uber, found out they were closed for a whole month for vacation. Bummer! It was around 4:15 pm. Didn't wanna Uber back, we looked for nearest food and just so happens that we were next to so many options. Unluckily or luckily, most were closed till 5 pm. But walked by here and they let us come in to sit and wait. Little did we know, we were so lucky that day because the lines start after 5 pm and it reached around the block! My girlfriend and I were extremely hungry and we are on girls trip. We did so much sight seeing, boating's all day with breakfast only. We were ready to order an entire menu! We pretty much did :D Not one dish was bad. Every single thing we ordered was mind blowing! Starting with the Yakitoris! Yuzu lemonade for me, sake for my friend. Ground chicken meatball yakitori was divine! Tsukene! Poke bowls: Yumm! Grilled hamachi Kama, scallops ceviche, chicken curry bowl, octopus salad! Every single dish was better then the next. The smoke salmon dip with tortilla! Divine! And we ended the meal with not one but two desserts. The matcha yuzu panna cotta had the most amazing tasting milk and that yuzu jam is the crack! The gluten free brittles were so good, we took some togo! The place was hot, bustling and happening. Food was just insanely good. The staff was super nice too. The next nights, we weren't as lucky as we got here at 5 or after 5 pm. A good 20-30 minutes wait. Painful! But worth a wait. There were many places I wanted to try on my list but we agreed that this was the best so we kept coming back. Montreal was a ok for me overall but I'd travel back just for the food here. It's that good. Dreaming about yuzu lemonade and Tsukene again! Yumm Yumm!!

My top Isakaya in town! He is the real deal! He's always there! The chef is so humble still with all his popularity and success! He recognizes me now that I make sure to sit at the bar in front of him each time we go there. Make sure to go before 5pm if you don't want to do the line ups. What's good there? Everything!

Wow, this place does not look like much just strictly based on the exterior. Small restaurant with very few tables and some seats at the bar. We waited for a little over an hour and the food was worth the wait. The nabemono was absolutely delicious and a great starter to our meal. My boyfriend devoured the 48 hours pork bowl. It was essentially pork with onions over rice. The sauce on the bibimbap was a little too sweet for me. They have interesting ice cream flavors for selection including wasabi and ginger. I wasn't feeling that adventurous so I opted for black tea. It is just plain vanilla ice cream with black tea powder. Was it with $5? Probably not. But was it good? Yes. This place defines simple food done right.

Been going for 14 years, never disappoints. My faves are always the tuna salmon bowl. And the BBQ pork necks if I can convince my wife.

We arrived 9 minutes after the store opened and the first group of people went into order while another big line was forming. Since we had a toddler, we decided to skip the line and eat on the picnic tables outside the restaurant. To our surprise, everything was priced very reasonably and delicious. We got the special of the day, Tuna Belly Sashimi, and was one of the best things we had on our MTL trip. P.S. their old location is just a few stores down and the Kazu sign is still up. We seriously thought they were out of business (Google maps led us there) and started thinking about other dinner plans. Glad we didn't give up and walked right into their new location. It was totally worth it!

As everyone else commented, food is the bomb!! My recommendation is Grilled salmon although I forgot taking photo of it, but please trust me. Only downside is the wait, but worth waiting for sure!

I've lived right around the corner for years and each time I've past by, there is a line up. Finally, I decided one day to wait and try it out and I was beyond satisfied. Kazu is authentic and that's why people love it so much. The food is amazing, the ambiance is organic. It's no surprise how popular it is. The decor reminiscent of somewhere straight off the streets of Tokyo. It's small and simple with lots of chaos and it's quite a humbling experience. There are many restaurants that have beautiful decor and the food just does not add up. At Kazu it's about the food. The service was fast and efficient and the staff was sweet and accommodating We ordered the plate of tuna and salmon sashimi, the chicken soup, oysters, and crepe. We washed it down with sake. All were extremely delicious and fresh. Thank you for existing Kazu, we will definitely be back for more!

The food here absolutely blew us away. We got the chirashi zushi, the 48 hour pork with curry, the deep fried beans with truffle oil, and the yakitori. All the items were amazing but the beans really stood out to us as exceptional. My boyfriend also got the yuzu beer and we were pleasantly surprised at how much it actually tasted like yuzu! We'll be coming back before the end of our Montréal trip for sure. Kazu is a Japanese Izakaya where they serve tapa style small dishes for the whole table to share. The plates come to your table as they're ready, so don't expect to be getting everything all at once. I would recommend getting 1.5 plates per person if you're moderately hungry. The service is very friendly but quick and casual and it's very busy inside. Definitely a more traditional Izakaya experience. There was a pretty long line when we got here and the dining room was small and they don't take reservations so I recommend coming by and expecting a wait.

THIS PLACE IS SO GOOD. We heard a lot of good things about this place from our friends so we decided come here on our trip to Montreal. Beware of the long line to get in--we went at around 6:30pm and we didn't get in until like 7pm. It is a very small restaurant with a lot of tables squished in; we ended up sitting next to the fridge. Most of the things we wanted like the yakitori and the mussels were already sold out by the time we sat down, but the food we got did not disappoint. Every time I had a bite, I swear I saw stars. The bone marrow was amazing holy cow. You can't go wrong with (what is essentially) meat butter with baguette and green beans all on a bed of mashed potatoes. The beef ribs were so good too. It was perfectly tender and went so well with the mashed potatoes (they really like their potatoes here I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). It did have a little too much balsamic for my liking but I'm not the biggest fan of balsamic in the first place so take that with a grain of salt. We finished off with the salmon head, and it was so good too. It was perfectly tender and since it was pretty fatty (as fish heads tend to be), it paired perfectly with the cherry tomatoes that came with it. I keep saying things were so good but that's how it was!!! I don't need the thesaurus to describe how good the food here was. The food here is on the heavy side, and I would highly suggest getting rice just so you have something to soak up the fat. I'm excited to come here on my next trip!! :')

I think I would give closer to a 3.5 star review, but maybe I'd change my mind if I could go back and try more options. We arrived at about 8pm on a regular Thursday evening. There was a line about ~15-20 people outside (+5-7 people inside). We decided to stick it out and wait to get in. Overall the wait was about 1.5 hours, and I'm not sure it was worth it, personally. (We have a lot of great Japanese food where I live!) We got the salmon and tuna tartar bowl, the 48 hour pork bowl with curry, and the shrimp okonomiyaki. I'd say that everything was good, but not 5-star good. It was a bit salty for me. The service was very good and the turnaround from ordering to receiving your food was insanely fast. There were a number of items off menu that were hand written and posted on the bar and wall. Take a look at these before you order!! A few things if you are going to dine here: Don't be the group that sits way past finishing your dinner. All the folks in line were grumbling about a family taking their sweet time. At one point the father waved his credit card in the air, which was mortifying. Go pay at the counter like everyone else! Don't cheat your way to the front of the line. A guy got in line 2 groups behind us and said his wife was too cold to stand outside. When we got toward the front of the line and could sit inside, the wife had told folks that she was a party of one and that she was next in line. When they called for her to be seated, she grabbed her husband who was waaaaaaaay back in line and they got a table. Honestly I was so hangry that I almost cried. Overall: I wouldn't wait in line if you are very hungry. Go somewhere else. Eat here if you are prepared for the line!

SO GOOD. Kazu is a small, classic Montreal joint which never disappoints. I have been coming here for years for their Tuna Salmon Salad Rice Bowl. It comes with tuna and salmon overtop a bed of white rice, salad, cabbage and crispy noodles. It has tons of flavors and texture. The lines can be long but the service is great and their takeaway is fast.

I've heard nothing but rave reviews for this place. The ligns to get in are always insanely long. So why the 3 star review? I think it's because I ordered wrong. I got the tuna and salmon tartare bowl and it was delicious, I really enjoyed it, but it didn't taste out of this world amazing. It wasn't ''I would wait 2 hours in line to eat this'' delicious. My friend and I were lucky, we went for dinner on a sunday night and didn't wait long to be seated. I also got the tofu entree to share with my friend and it was waaaaaay too salty. We couldn't even finish it. For dessert, I loved seeing all of their ice cream varieties (Ginger, Wasabi! Matcha) But the base is vanilla and they just add toppings to it. Tasted quite ordinary. But that's because I got the chocolate and not one of their crazier ice cream flavours. I will give this place another try because I really do want to like it. If you have any recommendations of what to get here, feel free to send some my way!

He is always there. The food is mind blowing. Always so food with delicate surprises. I wish it was open for lunch also. Service is great too. Ambiance is cosy and friendly.

Teeny place that is really popular and extremely crowded with over priced and only okay food... I liked how many of their dishes were a "modern" style but the uncomfortable eating arrangements and over use of sauce did not suit my dining preferences. We tried the popular dishes being the teriyaki burger, shrimp pancake salad, chirashi sushi, salmon tartar and a few other appies (i dont remember...). Most of the dishes were underwhelming and quite small for a very high price. The chirashi sushi was stunning to look at but at the end of the day, you couldn't taste the fresh fish as the sauces overpowered it all. The teriyaki burger was nothing special and the shrimp pancake was okay. Overall, for the wait, price and uncomfortable seating, I would not return to Kazu for a good japanese meal.

Seriously one of my favourite restaurants in the city. I've been many times so my review is based on all of those experiences. There's pretty much guaranteed to be a line unless you show up early to wait, or 2 Pm on a weekday afternoon. Located in the Guy Concordia area, Kazu is a small hole in the wall, that offered authentic and unique Japanese dishes, such as pork ramen, oysters, dips, beef kalbi. If you go on Sunday, you'll get to try their homemade tofu which is only available then. You get a big bowl of it with soy sauce, very good. I always get the tuna and salmon bowl, it's a bowl of rice topped with salad, salmon and tuna, crispy noodles, and sauce. It's so good, writing this review is making me so hungry. The shrimp burger is also amazing. So tender and juicy, you can see the chunks of shrimp. The salmon calcium dip is also very good and it has a great presentation. Pretty much you can't go wrong with what you order. Save room for ice cream! There are many flavours such as sake, wasabi, green and black tea!

It is always hard to get a sit at Kazu under normal circumstances since the line up is so long! With only takeout and delivery options available, it is now less painful to get my hands on their delicious Chirashi Zushi (salmon and tuna sashimi served with salad and rice). I must say that I almost enjoyed the salad more than the sashimi...the vinaigrette makes the salad so tasty..:slightly tangy and slightly sweet A must try!

Great choices all-round well covered by other reviewrs, but if you are the type to worry about leaving full from a place like this, grab a crab croquette for $5. It's really good, and also really filling! You won't regret it. Everything else we had on the menu was good. Restaurant is very busy, not exactly a place to sit and chat, the entire process is organized to get you your food ASAP and then after you're done eating, to get you the bill and let the next table outside in. The restaurant is tight, so it's still pretty cozy, similar to pre-COVID.

Can't believe I haven't written a review for Kazu already! I love this little spot and I'm so glad they finally moved to a (slightly) larger space. The decor in the new spot is chic but it still has the cozy/authentic Japanese vibe as they did at their old location. My favourite item on the menu personally is the salmon and tuna bowl (and you can request for them to come without rice and more veggies, which is what I often do). I've also purchased the two sauces for their salmon and tuna bowl and tried making it at home (didn't taste as good but it was still really great) and I love using the dressing for other salads as well. I don't often come here for lunch but when I do, I also love their ramen and the 24hour pork bowl with the curry sauce. Overall very satisfying for the $ you're paying. Great value, great portions, great service but it's always crowded and you most likely have to wait in line. I try to avoid this place in the winter as I don't think any food is worth waiting in line in a Montréal winter..haha! (And you will 9/10 times have to wait for an average of 10-20 minutes outside during peak hours).

Kazu is my favourite restaurant in Montreal. Every time I'm in town, I try to make it there. They moved in to a slightly bigger space now, which is just few steps away from the old location. But it is still as adorable as the other one. The staff are still lovely and energetic as always and the ambiance is perfect. Kazu gets very busy; the line up can be very long sometime. You often see a queue forming up even before the doors are open. But trust me, it's worth it. Everything that I had there so far are absolutely amazing! Their menu has a lot of items which can be a little overwhelming. But my usual go-to are the Beef Bibimbap (to die for!!!), Beef Carpaccio and Pork Cheeks. Also, do yourself a favour and order their home made soft ice cream! Can't wait for my next visit!

This was the best Japanese food I had in 2018！The poke was very unique and tasty, the cod was so delicious that both are highly recommended! The rib was way tender and soft, way above average! The restaurant is small, which means the waiting time is long. I would recommend go around the opening time and make sure you have the whole group with you. Otherwise, they won't sit you. Enjoy the food.

Excellent. Tried the pork with curry, sashimi, and haricots vert, and vanilla soft serve with red beans. Probably the tastiest meal served within minutes of ordering i've ever experienced. Loved sitting at the bar, and seeing how quickly and efficiently each dish came together. Service was polite and attentive despite how crowded the restaurant was. A long wait - but worth it considering you'll be out in under 25 minutes. A highlight of my time in Montreal.

The closest I've ever been to Japan in Montréal. The restaurant just moved down the street from its original location, which means more seating and you can wait for a table inside during the cold Montréal winters. I had a yuzu beer and really enjoyed it. If you're not a fan of sour lemonade I wouldn't recommend the yuzu beer but there are other interesting beer options. The portion of a lunch ramen is HUGE! It was so layered with flavor and extremely filling. If you're in the area around lunchtime you've got to try it. The seating is tight so prepare to be a little squished and ready to do some apologizing as you make your way bumping others to and from your table. But hey, from what I hear it's pretty crowded in Tokyo so try to enjoy the squished experience. I hope to return to this restaurant to try all of the other interesting items they have on the menu!

This place is hyped up, as there was a line already at 6:30pm and we had to wait half an hour. Once seated though, the food comes out SUPER quick, so that's good. However, this place is small, and 3 of us were seated at where we saw only 2 people were sitting before. It was the table right by the bar, and people/waiters walk back and forth there. I was squeezed right next to someone sitting at another table, and the waiter had barely just fit a stool there. By the time we were leaving, we saw a table that sat two before squeezed with five people! They're doing their best, but it just brings the experience down to squeeze people into tables that have you elbow to elbow with someone sitting at another table... As for the food, it was okay. I wasn't all that impressed. For appetizers, we saw Japanese Raviolis. Sounded pretty interesting, was kinda expecting to be something like Italian raviolis, and they were dumplings... I don't know why they didn't label it as dumplings/gyozas? Also for the okonomiyaki, we were asked if we wanted vegetable or shrimp one. We chose the shrimp one, but they just top the okonomiyaki with shrimp as a topping. It was also cold. I've had okonomiyaki in a few other places before and the shrimp has always been inside the okonomiyaki not as a topping. We also got the 48 hour pork bowl, that was pretty good. The beef kalbi plate was also delicious. Portions smaller than expected. Kazu was definitely an interesting experience in that the environment was different, but I didn't feel the food was that great to come back for in addition to the wait and tight seating.

pretty good place! Very busy, hits the spot...Terrific!. Will definitely be back to try their other items. Everything looks good. Their fish bowls are a great meal . i was seated at the bar and Kazu is a great guy. He made sure all of the orders were perfectly timed and on point. Definitely will be back on my next trip to Montreal. Merci & Sante!

Best food ever. Every time I come to Montreal I must visit Kazu. Friendly staff and most fresh food! You have to wait outside for a while but trust me it is worth it.

My boyfriend and I came for lunch and really enjoyed it here! It's a hole in the wall, super cramped, and there's usually a wait, but it's not too bad of a wait and the staff are nice. I got the veggie bowl after the waitress told me that just about every other food item had garlic or onion and I am intolerant, but I was delightfully surprised at how good it was! My boyfriend got the short ribs and it was large and the meat was super soft and flavorful. The prices are also super reasonable. We spent $30-40 for two people.

Delicious, every bit as good as when the restaurant opened. Prices are incredible for the quality and portions you receive.

Kazu is a destination restaurant in Montreal. You know it's beyond popular when we arrived 30 minutes prior to opening on a Sunday, and one party still beat us to first in line! Service and food were quick as expected, in order to turn over tables quickly. Because the restaurant was tiny and space was tight, recommend going in pairs. We were a party of 3 and barely had enough table space for all of our orders. We really wanted to order the pork neck, but it was sold out already! We did enjoy the chicken skewers, shrimp burger, fall-off-the-bone beef short rib over mashed potatoes, 48-hour pork with side of curry, and bibimbap (just wish it was served in a hot stone pot though). Every dish hit all the marks: flavorful, good texture, fragrant, and fresh. PS. Don't miss some of the specials listed on the wall, i.e. tuna belly, oysters, octopus, etc. Even though we were so full (to the point of unbuttoning my pants), I'm glad that we tried the desserts, which were small anyway. The green tea panna cotta and the black tea ice cream were the perfect ending to our meal.

I love this place. I'll admit, I wasn't too convinced at first when I walked in. Tiny restaurant, simple decor, hole-in-the-wall vibe, but it had a line. That had to mean good things. We were sat at a table by the wall, which was in the way of the servers walking between the kitchen and dining area. Again, small restaurant. I ordered the ramen for lunch, because I just wanted noodles. I wasn't really expecting any amazing ramen from a non-ramen restaurant. I just wanted something warm and soupy. When I took my first sip of the broth, all my initial impressions melted away. They didn't matter. It was really good. It was rich, flavourful, and warmed my soul, and the noodles had plenty of bite to them. The chefs in the kitchen knew what they were doing. My girlfriend ordered the short rib, which came in a massive plate and looked intimidating, but was actually a reasonably sized portion. Also chock full of flavour, and was incredibly tender. I guess at the end of the day, the food is what's important. If I lived in Montreal full time, I'd probably come here weekly.

Curry over the ramen bowl was really nice and stood out to me. Gyozas were tasty, nothing special. Salmon was okay -- more sauce on the side would have helped but it's a shame it wasn't seasoned more or marinated. I comfortably split two mains and two sides with a friend.

I have heard so much about this place so finally decided to give it a shot! The lines ups were crazy. Waited in queue for at least 45-50 minutes for a table as we were quite a huge group, however they all said it would be worth the efforts and wait. Finally got in the restaurant and I was surprised to how tiny it was and still accommodated many people. There were seats at the bar as well. You can see them making the food if you're seated at the bar side. Our turn came in to place the order and I went with the shrimp burger and omg at first bite, I was delighted and my mouth felt in love with this place! The portions are quite big enough and will fill you up. Even the salad was delicious. The service is amazing as well. The girls are so nice and treat you so well. I'd definitely recommend this place despite the wait as it's worth it and you won't regret standing in line for quite long for this great amazing meals that are provided here! Love it and I'd come back to try other platters on the menu.

Ok, updating my review here after returning several months later. The lamb chops are awesome, amazing, and delicious (perfectly cooked and well flavored). Get them! Several reasons why I revised my rating down from a 5 to a 4. First of all, with regards to the food, I think it is a little bit hit-or-miss in terms of flavor. While everything is well presented, some of the dishes just don't have the same 'zing' as others. For example, I thought the pork bibimbap was ok---but could use more spice. Also, there is nearly always a line to get in here (be prepared to wait at least 30 min); the space inside is very small and you may well be crammed around a table. If you have a choice, sit at the bar; I liked it there better. The service is good, in general, though they did forget to bring one item we ordered (though it found its way onto the bill).

Incredible service, you'd think the wait wouldn't be worth it because of the line up at front but their organization won't let you wait for longer than 20 minutes. Great variety of dishes, cool takes on produce, & amazing vegan options/replacements.

When I knew I was going to Montreal, I did a full research on where to eat and thanks to Instagram because I'd seen SO MANY great photos of the food here and people were raving about it. After being so jet legged, all I wanted was just some good food. After a much needed nap, we took an Uber from our hotel straight to Kazu. By the way, how to find this restaurant is easy, you see a long line outside of a restaurant and that's when you know you have come to the right place. People were literally waiting in the cold. Well, that didn't scare me away. I joined those guys proudly. Maybe 25 or 30 mins or so, we finally made it in (after creepily watching people enjoying their meals through the windows, haha). My husband ordered "48 hours pork bowl". A bowl of rice topped with sliced pork simmered in soy sauce in a mildly sweet sauce which OMG, it was SO good even though I only tried a little, but I could already tell that it was really really tasty! I ordered Shrimp burger (made from fresh black tigers from the Atlantic Ocean) for myself and it was so good I almost cried. Seriously though, my pictures didn't even do the food's justice. Huge shout-out to their staff for being super friendly and helpful. I told them it was our first time eating at Kazu and everyone was more than happy to recommend some food for us. I honestly wished I had been able to eat more because I kept seeing nice looking food being served left and right. Last but not least, I ordered "Home made soft ice cream (No egg, no cream used) with brioche chocolate" and I was so glad I took our waitress' advice! (I wish I could remember her name since she was so awesome!) P.S. Kazu is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, guys. Don't be like me just showing up and having to read about their business hours through the windows. :-/

Coming to Kazu does not mean a long, quiet supper. There is almost always a lineup in front of the restaurant. We sometimes wait 30 minutes to eat in 20, but it's always worth it. The food is delicious and the kitchen/staff is efficient. They recently moved into their new location on Ste-Catherine and it has the same vibe and feel of the old place. I highly recommend that you eat at the bar so you can watch the magic happen behind the counters with the owner and the sous-chefs. It is always a pleasure for me to visit this place.

Good service. Loved their seafood/pork ramen. Worth going there We didn't have a reservation so the place was busy but they accommodated us promptly

During my trip to Montreal, I remember Kazu as a little cozy and charming Japanese hole in the wall spot that serves delicious beef with rice! You come here not for any sushi but rather sautee and bowl dishes. This joint is very popular! So popular that the line began to form out the door about 20 minutes after opening. Luckily I got there right when it opened. Good news is the service was fast and efficient - got my order of beef and rice within 5 minutes after ordering. I spent that 5 minutes watching my beef get grilled and garnished. The beer was juicy​, tender, and full of flavor. I would also recommend the yakitori and sake ice cream. The staff was very friendly and helpful. If you are looking for a great hole in the wall Japanese restaurant that doesn't​ focus on sushi - Kazu is your place!

I thought Japan budhism and Sri Lankan budhism are the same. I thought Japan and Sri Lanka are friends. Sri Lankan Cadju nuts are liked by all Sri Lankan children. Sri Lanka has a lot of time in their hands but no jobs, that is why Sri Lankan families cook detailed intricate food whih require a lots of skills and time. Sri Lankan words like Cadju nuts or issakaya( which means hair) is the name given by japanese to one of their restaurant.

Even though I've been gone the past few years, Kazu has stayed the same. Still busy with people queuing up in line, no matter what time of day. Still consistent and delicious. We came for lunch and were running a bit behind schedule (meaning we didn't arrive till a few minutes past noon). Already knew we would have to wait but it wasn't too bad! Around 20 to 25 minutes. Hours. Note that they're closed Tuesday. I've never seen this place not busy. Cash or debit only. Don't forget. I wouldn't want to be sitting at the table by the window. People constantly peering at you and giving you "hurry up" stares. Lunch menu. Even though there's only 8 main options, it's still so difficult to decide. Couple appetizers and homemade soft serve ice cream. I won't spoil it but GET THE ICE CREAM. Oops. I didn't realize but the hand written, yellow sticky notes are for dinner only. That grilled lamb sounds bomb along with the fresh oysters, grilled octopus leg and scallop sashimi. Is there anything Kazu doesn't do? *Drool* We got extremely lucky and even though we were a party of five, they squeezed us into the bar. Love watching the chefs work their magic. Insane how fast and efficient they are in such a cramped space. If you've never been inside, it is tighttttttt. There's only four pint sized tables and the bar. - Mashed potato - you get a small side dish of either soup or mashed potato. Nicely flavoured and light for being mainly all potato. - Calcium salmon ($7.00)- salmon paste with tortilla. Yes, those are rice krispies and yes, it most certainly works. Bold, fresh flavours. - Tuna and salmon bowl ($12.00) - freshly chopped tuna and salmon mixed with salad on top of steamed Japanese rice. Light, healthy, refreshing. Always a favourite. - 48 hour pork bowl ($12.00) - rice topped with sliced pork simmered in a soy sauce based sweet sauce. That pink stuff is pickled ginger on top. Pork is sliced thinly, well marinated and tasty. Over a bed of rice is perfect. - Ramen ($12.00) - homemade noodle soup topped with vegetables, BBQ pork and a soft-boiled egg. For Montreal, the broth is good and the noodles have a nice spring to them. - Galbi ($18.00) - the galbi was well seasoned, tender and had a great sweet sticky sauce. Interesting that they have this Korean inspired dish on their menu. I've seen that they even do a bibimbaap dish. - Shrimp burger ($12.00) - made from fresh black tiger shrimps. The sandwich literally just melts in your mouth. The flavours blend perfectly together in perfect harmony. - Wasabi homemade soft serve ice cream ($5.00) - this was one of the BEST soft serve ice cream's I think I've tasted in my life. The wasabi powder/flavour wasn't very prominent but the texture of their soft serve was perfect. Seriously, this was memorable. If you like home churned soft serve, it's a must order. Perfect amount to share although I ended up getting to eat most of it!

top meal of my month my friends and i loved the vibe, i loved the print of the owner on the wall, everything on the menu was lovely, and the grilled salmon belly was like soooo good

It was a really busy restaurant. The restaurant was quite small, so it was difficult to get a seat. While waiting in line, they gave us a menu to prime ourselves for what was to come. Eventually they welcomed us in and showed us to our table. I already knew what I was going to order. Yes, it was the tuna and salmon bowl. I heard so much about the dish that I had to try it. We also got the okonomiyaki, shrimp burger, and yakitori. Everything was presented so beautifully. I was so amazed by the portion sizes of the dishes as well. First off, the yakitori had a nice char and this enhanced its flavour profile. I was at first, confused of how to eat this salmon bowl as it was layered with some sort of crunchy rice cracker strands. I treated it as a regular poke bowl and mixed everything up. I have to say, the dressing was really savoury and nice. It made the bowl really refreshing. The okonomiyaki was also flavourful. It was topped with bonito flakes and sauce. I found the pancake really tender as well. The shrimp burger was just loaded with sauce. The burger was crunchy, while the meat was fresh and bouncy. I really loved the food here and would definitely recommend trying this place out!