Hi Genki, an oldie but a goodie! No pun intended…I know it’s located in a senior home…! After my eye check-up, Mother deer asked where we should go for lunch and I suggested Hi Genki because she’s been wanting to try it for a while. Hi Genki don don don combo. Since she had never been here before, I decided to order the don don don combo so she could try a bit of everything they serve here. It came with mini servings of potato croquette curry, chicken teriyaki and kitsune udon.
Hi Genki started off as a hidden gem; presumably because it is located in a senior center. When we visited last night at around 7:30 PM (30 minutes before last call), there was still lots of millennial patrons waiting. Some say the ambiance of Hi Genki reminds you of a college cafeteria. I say it has the vibe of a ferry boat cafeteria too.
Made a long time goal of mine come true last Friday when my sister took my mother and I out for lunch at Hi Genki located in Nikkei Cultural in South Burnaby.After this meal, there can be no question – we will be sending our mother and father here as soon as they are old enough because the restaurant in the complex will give us the best reason to visit them on a regular basis.
Authentic and yummy Japanese home cooked meal. Always love their spicy chicken karaage, I keep coming back for more.
Today I tried the new menu, Yaki Curry, pork katsu with cheese on curry rice, it tastes good and very fulfilling.
If you’re craving authentic Japanese food that feels home cooked, this place has you covered. Lots of options on the menu. The staff are friendly. Don’t forget to get the spicy chicken karaage don - it is amazing. There can be a bit of wait, go early to beat the dinner rush.
We heard great things about the curry so we stopped by. When arriving you have to enter through the senior home, was a bit confused at first. Other than the curry, we also ordered the chicken karaage and udon. Out of the three dishes, the curry was actually our least favourite. The udon was amazing, very light and flavourful broth, some of the best we've had! And the karaage was also delicious. Not super crispy like most karaage's but definitely very memorable. Portions are big and service was good. We would come back for sure.
One of the better deep fried chicken karaage places in the city. Not as cheap as it used to be. But them again, what is. Place is consistently packed and expect a significant wait during dinner rushes. We just do takeout the last little while but nothing beats the dine in experience.
Video review on youtube: Vancity Food Crew Hi Genki Japanese Restaurant
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This is easily a hidden gem, and one of the best places to get asian food. It can be a hassle to get in because its busy, and the wait for the food itself can be long, but its worth it. I ordered the spicy chicken karaage donburi bowl, you get like 10 pieces of spicy and tangy and crunchy chicken on rice. So worth it for $10. My eating partner had a Deluxe Bento Box. I tried a prawn tempura from hers, and it was perfectly light and crunchy. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who likes asian food, and will be back many times.
Um, how have I never known about Hi Genki until D told me about it? A Japanese restaurant in an old folks home? Seems right up my alley. Look for the Nikkei Cultural Center or the signs outside beckoning you to the right spot. It’s owned by the same people that run the Fujiya empire. We dropped by on a Sunday afternoon with the aim to meet at 11:30am. We were a tad late so had to put our name on the wait list; took about 25 minutes for a table to open up. Get there early; it’s popular.
Ever since I visited Japan in 2015, I have trying to find my way back. I speak of the food and the culture, and how little I got to experience them both. So hearing my pleas, a few of my foodie friends have recommended “Hi Genki” to me. They follow its name with the disbelief that I have never been, and have yet to even hear of them. Although, you can’t blame me, given its location. This isn’t a restaurant on a busy shopping strip, or one in a mall, heck it isn’t even on a road that you would drive by. “Hi Genki” is located at the lobby of the “Robert Nimi, Nekkei Home”, a Japanese community centre and retirement home, adjacent to the “Nekkei National Museum & Cultural Centre”. So when craving for some authentic Japanese fare, I guess in theory, they should be a sure thing. Either way I was dedicated to finding out.
The potato croquettes are so good here! Crispy and fluffy outside crust with a soft potato center. They also have a lot of authentic Japanese foods and desserts that aren't found in many other restaurants. It's sad to see them have to leave after so many years serving the community. They make some of the best comfort foods in town.
This place is super hidden away but it's such a gem. So much value in everything they have! Affordable and good quality. Found everything that I had super delicious. A friend brought me here and I was skeptical because it was so out of the way and it was in like an apartment building. But I was pleasantly surprised that this place was so good!
Easy to order online and pick up/pay at the restaurant. Hadn't been here in years, and I know they were always busy when dine in was open. So happy to see the quality is still on par, simple and delicious comfort food. I had the Oyako Don, the chicken was plentiful and so juicy. Family had the Seafood Platter (good variety of seafood and nice tartar sauce, wondering if it's made in house?) and Pork Katsu Curry. Would love to go back for some of their other items!
An absolutely great discovery -for us-. This unpretentious restaurant is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been in Vancouver.
The menu is simple, not complicated or full of fancy lingo. It has a great variety of dishes all at very good prices.
The food is nothing but excellent. Service is fast but not on your face. The servings are quite large so be careful of what you order. One main dish will have you done for the day. Their appetizers are great, fantastic quality and taste. We even dared to ask for dessert.. which was fantastic and tasty... and huge!
What a great place to spend lunch or dinner time with family and friends. There is no doubt we will come back.. soon!
Gone too soon: this wonderful hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant closes to the public on April 30, 2022. Serving up fantastic food (that you know is good because it's been vetted by elderly Japanese residents of Nikkei) with customer service second to none, this Japanese eatery is one of the only ones of its kind in Burnaby and will be sorely missed after it's gone. Be sure to grab some spicy chicken Karage Don while you still can!
It's the end of an era, Hi Genki is closing after 20 years. I was lucky enough to eat here several times throughout the years and have always been a huge fan of their karaage. The staff were always great and very friendly. Thank you for all the memories and hopefully you can open up a new location in Burnaby again one day!
Come here while you can as they are closing their public operations soon. Assuming kitchen inside a retirement home, didn't know about this place until someone brought me here. So much care and detailed preparation in all their dishes, while limited, but priced fairly too. Expect service to be a tad on the slow side, but a friendly and caring bunch. Not sure when they close but will try to come back as many times as possible, south Burnaby is definitely losing a gem.
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