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.
Friendly staff. Food was tasty and service was amazing. Price is cheap and portion of food are huge. Their curry was delicious as well. Quite environment and very comfortable environment.
Hearty, homestyle Japanese cooking at a restaurant in the midst of a Japanese seniors' complex.
You certainly do not come here for the atmosphere or the service - but for the food!
Their food are well balanced with the right amount of meat, vegetables and rice to make an extremely satisfying meal. There are rotating specials from day to day and some of them are just a delightful treat.
There is always long line - since this place is really popular but as long as you come early knowing the fact, it will not be an issue.
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I am seriously blown away LOL! I brought my girlfriend here based on the online reviews here. How is it that a Japanese old folks home can have such an amazing amount of comfort food?
There's plenty of parking in the neighbourhood. There's also a Japanese corner store and I highly suggest you check that out too. I grabbed a few items that were on clearance and they carried some great authentic Japanese items.
When we entered we were greeted kindly by the servers. We were told that dinner starts at 6:30pm for the public, and any time before that, it's for the residents only. Luckily we were just 5 minutes early.
Now if your looking for a dining ambiance with a date scene, don't expect it here. However, if your looking for authentic Japanese cooking with decent prices, you've come to the right place. My spicy karage bowl was so memorable and I kid you not! It was the best karage I've ever had in my life. It was sweet, salty, savoury, light. My girlfriend was also blown away. I highly recommend the spicy karage bowl. Their teishoku set and donburi sets are priced so fair.
This place is very family friendly and the prices won't break your wallet. I can see why the ratings are so high. I will definitely come back again and support this community. The servers here are very hard working. It's non stop for them.
Hi-Genki is one of my favourite Japanese restaurant to go to on the weekends. It is located inside a Japanese Senior House. The restaurant itself looks like a simple cafeteria within a senior residence, but the food being served there is 5 star with a very reasonable price.
Don Don Udon is one of my recommendation. It is a combo of 2 small donburi and a udon soup. For just under $12 you can get a extremely filling, delicious and proper Japanese meal.
Netto is worth a try. I never liked Netto, always thought they are slimy and stinky. My boyfriend likes them a lot and ordered one as a side. This Netto here at hi genki is very flavourful and goes perfectly with steamed rice. It is so addictive.
It was a place similar to those restaurants at tourist attractions in Japan. The food was not the best but was equivalent to what you could find in any family run restaurants. We ordered Curry Beef and Pork Cutlet. Only two words could describe its quality, i.e., “simple” and “good”.
I found this place online by chance and it's my go to place for authentic Japanese cuisine. The Karaage is probably the best fried chicken I've ever tasted. My Friend Chris says their Salmon Sashimi is some of the best he's ever tasted.
The prices are very reasonable but the service tends to be hit or miss with take-out times either be extremely quick or quite slow.
Other excellent dishes: Teriyaki-don, Strawberry Daifuku.
Even when I dine out, I love a good homestyle meal in an unpretentious setting. And it doesn’t get anymore casual than dining at a senior’s housing complex. Hi Genki is a popular, Japanese restaurant at the Nikkei Place senior centre located at the corner of Kingsway and Sperling in Burnaby. The owners of the Fujiya Japanese food empire opened Hi Genki so that an elderly parent could continue to enjoy Japanese home cooking. The restaurant is open to public for lunch and dinner and also provides food to senior residences. I hadn’t been to Hi Genki before and was eager to check it out.
Finally chose to come to this place after seeing such amazing reviews, it is located inside the senior center for all those who are driving around aimlessly like I did! The area has a "cafeteria" like feel but the food was surprisingly good, goes to show that you should never judge a book by its cover haha! I ordered the karage as it was definitely one of the more popular dishes and i was pleasantly surprised. (:
Hi Genki Japanese Restaurant (日本老人院裡的食堂)
在溫哥華本拿比市“日本文化中心(Nikkei Place)”旁有一座歷史悠久的日本人安老院Nikkei Home，裡面住著很多日本老僑民，組成一個小型日本社區。在安老院裡設有一家非常地道的日本食堂Hi Genki，它是由一家日本連鎖超市Fujiya負責營運的餐廳，這餐廳有別於其他日本食肆是沒有正式店面及主要服務安老院內居住的日裔長者每日三餐膳食。這裡的食物不單止充滿地道日本口味，價格也十分相宜，吃的東西也很家常。唯一跟普通日式餐廳不同之處是服務生都沒有大聲叫“歡迎光臨”，可能怕聲浪會影響到院內居住的老人吧！
走進安老院大門後就會到達這家食堂的入口，前面有一道玻璃屏障隔開用餐區。整個用餐環境雖然十分簡單，但餐廳裡光線明亮座位乾淨寬敞，服務生以至廚師都是日本人，服務態度也很好。餐廳除了服務安老院內居住的日裔長者每日三餐膳食外，亦會在每天的指定時段對外開放提供午晚餐飲。餐廳的餐飲款式不多，亦會隨著季節或食材供應而變更，只要留意餐房入口處放置的食物樣辦就可以知道今天的特別菜色。這裡服務生上菜方式也很特別，不像一般餐館用手端出來，而是使用小小的手推車來送餐啊！
餐牌的款式選擇不多，另有一張手寫的Today’s Specials。價格方面算得上是很親民，大部份餐點都在$10-$15元左右
great food, good price, we were near the end of the night so the services would obviously be a bit behind understandably. Would definately go again. Interior is homely.
Been here a few times. The food is always good and reasonably priced. The restaurant is always busy so go early if possible otherwise it'll take quite sometime to be seated.
Absolutely love this place!! I've been going once a week since I found out about the restaurant. My advice is to go right when they open if you want to avoid the long wait time for both your seat and the food. Given the fact that you're eating at a senior centre, I personally do not mind waiting & wouldn't rush the kitchen.
Lovely comfort food! This reminded me of a documentary I watched about Japanese food and cafeteria. We ordered the curry Katsu Don, and a spicy prawn and fish came rice. Portions were big and tasty.. We ordered a sake red bean bun for dessert and it definitely had sake flavour in it.... Although my bf had trouble tasting it.. Lol.. I can understand why this place is so busy.
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Happy (belated) Canada Day everyone!! Hope you had a swell time hanging with your friends and family...I sure did!! For Canada Day this year I went to Granville Island with my parents, in an effort to avoid the chaos that is Canada Place (I don't do well in crowds.). We had a blast! There actually wasn't a ton of Canada Day festivities going on (except for a few vendors) but it was still packed! (Not as packed as Canada Place though.) My mom got some cool bohomian-esque dresses from one of the vendors, and my dad got a neat shawl (which he proclaimed to be a tapestry. I kept insisting that it was a SHAWL. He didn't believe me.) We did the usual: we made rounds around the island, looking through windows, popping in and out of stores. My dad use to work in the Granville Island Public Market in the 80s, and every time we go there he remarks "I wonder if that old fart is still the manager."
We actually didn't eat lunch at Granville Island, because my dad insisted on going to Hi Genki (his favourite restaurant) for lunch! Instead of going to an actual restaurant, we had dinner at Whole Foods because my parents wanted to do some grocery shopping. After perusing the hot bar, nothing seemed appetizing enough...so for "dinner" we had an entire...vegan chocolate mousse cake!! (Now that's how you do Canada Day!!)
TL;DR delicious,affordable and awesome portions. Come for lunch! Try the tempura!
This is one of my go-to lunch places when I want japanese food that is other than sushi. Their portions are generous especially for their curry dishes and bentos. There are a lot of options!!
First time I went there I had the Don Don Udon which is 3 small bowls that felt like a sample of everything. Good for first timers!
Don't get put off by the cafeteria style, this place is a gem.
I finally made my way to trying out Hi Genki Japanese Restaurant located along Kingsway in Burnaby. It can be confusing to find this place, but it is surprisingly located inside the Nikkei Senior Home. E and I went during lunch time on a weekend and it was packed. We put our name down and waited for roughly 20 minutes.
Seeing most of their items on the menu are deep fried, I decided to try the grilled fillet with yuzu soy sauce from the special menu. The fish was a bit tougher than what I expected. The sauce would be better if less salty. The meal also came with a miso soup which was piping hot and not very salty. Overall the food was homey and was reasonably priced. Prepare to wait in line as they are always very busy.
This place has been a staple since my high school days. I recently visited again and nothing has changed. I got the Deluxe Genki Box; the chicken teriyaki was great as usual and the assorted tempura was crispy and delicious. Salmon sashimi was standard; there was rice and miso soup that came with the box. Hi Genki is one of the best places to go for Japanese comfort food. The only caveat with Hi Genki is that the food service is very slow. My friend and I waited for about a good half hour before we received any food. It has always been like this and most people have accepted it as it is.
Overall, Hi Genki is a neighbourhood gem and will continue to be one of my go-to's!
We go to Hi Genki so often now! My dad and I are pretty much: obsessed. It's one of the few things we can agree on - food wise (we have very different tastes.) He discovered Hi Genki 20 years ago and he's been hooked ever since!! It's one of our ol' standbys. I wouldn't be surprised if he chose Nikkei Home as his retirement home!
One thing that I noticed about Hi Genki is: if you order the grilled fish dishes, it's actually cheaper than making it at home!! My mom bought 3 pieces of wild salmon at Safeway the other day - and it cost her $15!! The wild salmon shio/salmon kama at Hi Genki is only $9.95 - and it comes with 5 pieces!! When I told my mom she was like "Wow, I'm never buying salmon at Safeway again."
OH, and Raymond, you should totally review this place, even though it doesn't technically classify as a "sushi" restaurant ~ they have sashimi!! ;)
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Hi Genki is situated in the lobby of a senior building. I know it's a very unorthodox location, but the story behind it is that the owner's mother was a resident in the senior home, he opened this restaurant so that his mom could eat good food. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? Hi Genki serves up authentic homestyle Japanese cooking. They're generally pretty busy so if you don't want to wait, I suggest that you don't visit during peak hours. Their menu includes curry, croquettes, breaded cutlets, donburi bowls, udon, bento boxes and fish, etc, served with miso soup. Their prices are relatively inexpensive and portions are generous. After eating at Hi Genki, you can also check out the Japanese garden adjoining the Nikkei Centre or visit the little Japanese store to get snacks and treats to take home.
We ordered the yam tempura to share. They were your standard yam tempura, the batter was thin and crispy and the yams were sweet. Mamallama and I both got the spicy chicken karaage donburi, one of the house favourites. The bowl came with large boneless pieces of fried chicken on a bed of mixed greens blanketed over Japanese rice. The chicken karaage was plump, juicy, flavourful and not even a tad oily. They were covered in a (barely) spicy teriyaki sauce that was predominently sweet and savoury. The skin remained crispy throughout our meal. I just wish that the rice had a little bit of their delicious sauce. Totoro ordered the salmon kama. The salmon collars were fresh and just lightly seasoned with shio. The salmon had just the right amount of fattiness so the fish wasn't flakey or dry at all. The mixed greens on the side were lightly tossed with a refreshing citrus vinaigrette. Baby-Paca got the yakitori donburi, which was basically a teriyaki chicken rice bowl. The chicken was tender and had a nice char on the skin. There were also a few slices of deliciously caramelized onions in the mix, but not nearly enough. While the yakitori was pleasant, it wasn't as flavourful as the chicken karaage, but if you don't feel like fried food, this is a good option
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My friends love this place, I don't really understand why, the food here, I'll say it's decent. most of the items that I order are usually deep friend, and the deepfried are actually well done, it's not really greasy, and now that I wonder maybe they baked it... but the food wouldn't come out so fast if they do baked it...
hmmm
anyhow, the food! I'll say the portion is decent with the price tag, I would really suggest the Chicken Karage donburi. But i usually go there for the specials, to see whether the chef can amaze me.
This time I had the prawn temura. because haven't ate shrimp like taste for awhile for refresher, it was okay, nothing over excited about it. but definitely decent. :) the flavors are not overwhelming in most of their food.
most of the time is decent, a tip over the average i'll say. And definitely there were no bad food either in all items in their menu.
They also have deepfried icecream which is a little rare to see in Vancouver :)
The deep fried icecream are usually glazed with strawberry jam, which i find it occasionally good when I'm craving for ice cream and not regular ice cream.
Would definitely recommend this place for a safe decent food. But me i'm an explorer I'd rather explore unless the place is super super good :)
Hi Genki is an amazing cafeteria-like restaurant tucked into the first level of the Nikkei Centre. Open to the public when not providing food to the residents of the centre, they offer the most amazing dishes at superb prices. Space and kitchen capacity are limited so take a look at the hours of operation and arrive a little early. Tables are distributed first come, first served. The curry on rice is a wonderful warming dish that will improve any day but especially those colder, wetter nights. I have never found another place quite like this one and it is always worth a visit. Try something new from the menu or the display shelf and expand your horizons.
One of the few places in Vancouver serving mostly non-sushi Japanese dishes. Located inside a senior home next to Nikkei Centre, make sure to come a little early to find seating and parking as it fills up fast. Daily specials offered are budget friendly, filling and most of all delicious.
Feels like a few family oriented restaurants I visited while in Japan.
The food here is great and the ambiance is very homely. Overall a great place to eat at.
Spicy chicken kaarage is amazingly delicious! Also the coffee jelly!! The portions are great and it's very affordable. I wish the waitresses were friendlier though. Definitely going to make this a regular place to eat!
Wow...this thing was HUGE. And I mean huge. Seriously, it doesn't look like much in the picture, but there was 5 huge pieces of salmon underneath the first piece! My dad was really impressed (and he's really hard to impress.) I was like (jokingly) "I'm pretty good at ordering eh?" and he nodded in total agreement LOL! The salmon itself was lightly breaded and really flavourful - flaky on the outside, and tender on the inside. The curry itself tastes like your basic japanese curry - but that's why I love it - it's simple comfort food, nothing fancy!! It was loaded with potatoes though and there was a ton of rice - it even came with a salad + half an egg on the side!
Hi Genki is one of our go to Japanese restos in South Burnaby - it just never disappoints!! I think this is probably the third time I've blogged about Hi Genki LOL!! Sorry guys - I just love it that much, and I feel the need to share it with you all! ;).
Forget Sushi Garden! If you're looking for Japanese food in South Burnaby, Hi Genki is WHERE ITS AT!! Drive the extra 5 mins to Nikkei Home, seriously. I'll go as far as to say that its my favourite Japanese resto in Burnaby!! My dad was actually the one who introduced me to Hi Genki, he's been eating here for over 20 years LOL!
Hi Genki isn't your average Japanese place...it's located in a Senior's home!! That's what makes it so awesome hehe. It's a total hidden gem!! There's no awning outside so its almost like a secret club of sorts, where extreme foodies and elderly Japanese folks (who live in the complex) go for some Japanese home cooked deliciousness!! :D
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Tasty, Affordable, Homely. I've been to Hi Genki many, many times, and I continue to go back because I just love this place. The food isn't anything fancy at all at first glance -- they are mostly just your typical yōshoku with a lot of deep fried dishes. But for some reason, I always find them well prepared and cooked with care. There is just a sense of homely and wholesomeness to it that is difficult to find elsewhere. Their portions are also quite generous, so if you are feeling hungry but don't want to be spendy, this is the place to go to.
In addition to their standard menu, I usually find that I prefer the special dishes they have on the paper-printed menu. This special menu changes every now and then, and it keeps the experience interesting.
My only word of caution would be -- beware of the sardine dishes. I recently ordered a miso sardine dish with rice, and as tasty as it was, omg... the bones in those sardines was an absolute nightmare! I am *NEVER* going to make that same mistake again.
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Great Value and Quality. Ordered two daily specials, the croquette curry and minced beef & pork patty with karaage chicken combo platter.
The two croquette (potato patties) were the size of my palm and the texture was extremely smooth and creamy, yum! The Japanese-style curry here is very well made; it is not spicy but still flavourful. The amount of rice served with the curry was more than enough for two people.
The combo platter was a great way to taste a variety of dishes. The karaage chicken is quite crispy and super moist; I would think the spicy version is even better.
Also ordered the Tonkatsu Don (fried pork chop with egg on rice) from the regular menu. It was delicious! The pre-cut piece of pork chop was tender and there was just the right amount of sweet sauce to flavour the whole bowl of rice without making it soggy.
Pros - Free underground parking, [almost] all items under $10, very large portions, not MSG-filled, flavourful curry with lots of vegetables, nicely platted, clean dishware, overall well made home-cooked food
Cons - food takes a VERY long time to be served, even when we came for lunch at 1pm.
Been our regular family dinner restaurant for years.
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Spicy Chicken Karaage Don Mmmmmmm. Really enjoyed the Spicy Chicken Karaage Don today. I wouldn't say it was spicy, but I'm not sure if it was supposed to come with a side dish of hot sauce. At the next table were 5 people who seemed like regulars who all ordered the Chicken Karaage Don, and some of them received side dishes of hot sauce. In any case, it was really quite flavourful without additional spice so I decided not to ask about the spicy sauce. It was overflowing with pieces of crispy freshly fried and delightfully seasoned juicy chicken pieces, on a thin bed of greens, on top of slightly sweet sticky Japanese rice. Delicious.
Also had the spinach gomae, maybe it was more traditional? It had sesame seeds but not a creamy sesame soy sauce like other places. It was in a fishy soy sauce and was in my opinion too salty. I was hoping this would balance my savoury fried chicken, but ended up being salt overload.
I would definitely come back for the chicken karaage. Not sure about other menu items, as I shy away from the curry which likely has MSG, a lot of the menu is fried, and the other dishes weren't that tantalizing to me. Which is probably why I haven't been here for a long time.
Wonderful.. Deciding on where to eat in Vancouver can be quite stressful for someone from out of town, seeing how there are so many places to pick (poor quality AYCE places...). But luckily, I was able to find Hi Genki. The location is a little different being in a Japanese seniors home but the decor and seating quite fondly reminded me of Japan.
The food was fantastic, quality Japanese home-style dishes! Entrees are paired with a side of rice, greens and bowl of miso. Service was fair but I don't really mind.
Pet-peeve I have with some people is that they expect all Japanese restaurants to serve Sushi. Japanese food is way more than just that and this place shows it. So if your looking to find your California rolls to dip into your wasabi-infested soy sauce, gladly go somewhere else!
Will definitely return to this place!
I have been to this place quite a few times for years, and I always love to go back for the food. This place is located within the Japanese senior home, that's why the food is especially made for the seniors when it's not opened to the public. In other words, the food is supposed to be healthy and less greasy. This place is unique when comparing to other Japanese (sushi) restaurants because it mainly serves donburi and other traditional Japanese meal. Also, the tempura ice cream is worth a try if you don't get how the combination works.
Prepare to wait in line if you are visiting for weekend lunch/dinner. But I am sure the food would not disappoint your mouth! Have gone through half of the dishes on their menu and all were great. Good good eat!
My favorite Japanese restaurant. Food is super hearty and delicious. The portions are huge and the ingredients are extremely fresh. Highly recommend!
Quite the Little Experience. When I got to the door, I was a little taken back. What? A cafeteria of a home?
It was cafeteria style seating. I was surprised that people come, just to eat. Run by Japanese people, service was great. Very polite people.
Tried the salmon sashimi and the assorted tempura. Both really good. When I saw, what I thought was a piece of sweet potatoe tempura, I took a bite, to find out that this was a cauliflower tempura. Wasn't oily at all.
The chicken karage donburi was boneless and REALLY good!
The deep fried ice cream looked really good, but too full to try it. There were a couple of news articles on this place, and about their deep friend ice cream. Next time, is a must try!
Like home!. Consistency good food. very clean environment and always friendly/swift service. i love coming here!
This place is a hidden gem! The portions are very huge and reasonably priced! i ordered from their specials menu for lunch and had the short rib with kimchi and rice (heaping portions!) and also had the mackeral fish with rice and salad (delicious and not oily at all)!
Weird location but great food!. Felt strange walking into a retirement home to have Japanese lunch but the service was great and attentive with a moderate crowd having a meal.
Had the Ebi Shumai, some sort of dumpling with a shrimp on top, Shiromi & Ebi Fry which had breaded fried fish and prawns with salad/rice.
Finally for dessert, I had the Banana Tempura with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream & Strawberry sauce swirled on top.
Overall the meal was excellent and I noticed from prior photos of the Special menu that it's always changing so looking forward to new things on my next visit!
Japanese food like your grandma would make. I have been to Hi Genki for numerous times, and it has disappointed me. Although it does not provide sushi, sashimi regularly, the food there is very comforting.
If you are lucky, you can get a seat easily, but occasionally, waits can be up to half an hour. Opting for take out is the better choice
Great value and delicious food. I love the fact that they don't serve the typical Japanese fare commonly found in Vancouver. This place has big portions of home style cooking.
Awesome Meal. Hi Genki officially has the best Chicken Karaage Donburi!
Or the spicy one if you like spicy food.
A few times I tried other meals in Hi Genki and not one meal can replace the goodness of their spicy chicken karaage donburi.
You would love it!
Clean. Institutionally clean. I like how it doesn't feel or smell grubby. Food is reliable, seems 'hearty', 'filling', no nonsense, balanced with some green salad, a good value for a hearty Japanese meal.
Satisfying Japanese home-cooked food. We love going here whenever we have a craving for some authentic Japanese home-cooked comfort food. One of us always order the Tonkatsu Don and the other...the Sake Curry (obviously these are our recommendations). For the Don, the pork was never dried and there was always a generous amount of meat. Combined with the sweet onions, sauce, and egg, this makes for a winner. The Sake Curry always have 3 'big' pieces of deep fried breaded salmon with lots of yummy curry. The salmon is never overcooked and is still juicy. They sometimes have new/special items that is not on the regular menu (i.e. sake curry). This place does get super-busy during lunch time and dinner time - so do expect a line-up at peak times. Price-wise: Reasonable for the amount of food per plate. Actually quite cheaper than most places that serves this type of food. Their generous amount of food definitely beats those who charges a lot for a small plate.
I never got to eat here!. Well maybe not never. My grandma lived here so she always wanted to get out when I went and seen her but everytime I ate there I was impressed with the food AND the price. Good food and low price = GREAT VALUE!
Good, filling, unpretentious food. This is one place my family can always agree to eat at. The food is inexpensive, the homestyle Japanese menu is generally delicious, and the setting is relaxed and homey. Love the sake katsu curry which occasionally shows up on the specials. The portions are so huge that I can usually get two meals out of their entrees.
Authentic and Delicious. Reminded me of my time in Japan. The chicken katsu curry was delicious and very reasonably priced.
All of the food was good. Don't get put off by it's location.
They have Japanese home style meals which is what people are their for. One time I went on a weekend, they served ramen. I enjoyed it very much, it tasted authentic. I was craving it the next time I returned, but it was on a weekday so no ramen. I believe they take the time to make the ramen broth on the weekends so only a limited quantity is served. Once they are gone they are gone!
The of the few truly authentic Japanese restaurants. When it's not open to the public it is a cafeteria for elderly Japanese retirees as it is situated inside a Japanese old folks home and beside the Japanese cultural centre. The food is great and the price is good. Try the spicy chicken karate and the croquettes.
Sushi with Grandma. It is definitely strange to dine at a public restaurant housed inside a nursing home. I like to think of it as equivalent of dining at someone's house, which is sort of the case. The interior of Hi Genki isn't as clinical and hospital-like as I would have imagined. It's actually quite a warm and welcoming space. And like most Japanese establishments, there are displays of the food up at the front, only this time they use real food, not plastic food. I had the salmon dish, along with soup and noodles and some very crispy tempura that was not at all oily and rather refreshing. It was like dining at someone's home because the food tasted very home cooked, in a good way- no MSG, no fancy plating, and pretty large portions. The service was excellent, and despite the unique locale, Hi Genki really is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Vancouver.
Homestay in Japan. Located in a Japanese retirement home, this restaurant cooks up great dishes that makes you believe you're enjoying an authentic home-cooked Japanese meal. They offer great service and a revolving daily specials sheet that makes you want to come back again to sample all their dishes. I can't believe they are operated by Fujiya.
This place is always in the back of my mind somewhere, but I finally paid a visit tonight. It has been a few months since I last went and I find that the price has gone up by a buck or so, BUT with even bigger portion! Overall still great value and long lines!
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Good value, simple decor and good food. If you go to a Japanese eatery for it's 'zen' like decor then this place is not for you. The clean/sterile like setting (not a bad thing) located in an old Folks home just off Kingsway @ Sperling, Hi Genki is a medium/large restaurant to grab some reasonably priced lunch or dinner (same price for both).
The menu is simple with the daily specials displayed at the entrance or at least photos are displayed.
Hi Genki doesn't focus on sashimi or sushi but rather the hot dishes that are eaten day to day in Japan.
Green Tea is served the moment you are seated but a little hard to get refilled unless you can flag down one of the waitresses (tea pots have no lids to signify 'empty').
Plastic Chop sticks are used and a fork or spoon are happily provided if you are stick challenged.
The meals are served hot, fresh and depending on how busy the service is sometimes a little slow. It's uncommon to have the 2 bite check from the serving staff usually because they are too busy or can see by the 'mmm good nod' by the patrons.
The croquettes are fried just right, soft in the middle and panko breaded.
The salmon rolls use the canned flaked salmon - one to avoid.
Salad seems to be served with most of the dishes and the presentation is good.
The Chicken Karaage is fried perfectly.
Get there either early lunch or around 2pm to miss the crowds. Lunch services ends at 3pm.
The staff are cheery and pleased to see you, if you speak Japanese it could help you but it's not vital by any means. Be prepared to flag a server down or close your menu's when you are ready to order (you'll get served quicker)
No alcohol is served.
Free parking underground in the designated areas but be warned when events are happening in the cultural centre it can be tricky to get that spot.
No complaints, doesn't smell like an old folks home and the food is filling.
Cash, Debit and Visa are accepted.
I love the food. It's not the type of cooking that you would get in a high end Japanese restaurant, but more like what mamma would make. That's why I go and take advantage of the great prices and order something I normally wouldn't order. Tonight I had some mackerel and it was delicious, along with a tempura bannsna for desert. I will be back!
Really good authetic Japanese cooked food. I love Hi Genki. I've tried a few of their bowls and I have not been disappointed. They don't have a lot of options, but I like what they have.
The place is pretty hard to find, but it's worth the search. My only complaint is that there are not enough veggies with their bowls.
Hi Genki is one of my favourite restaurants ever! Unlike a typical Japanese sushi restaurant, Hi Genki serves more homestyle cooking dishes, with things like bento boxes, dons, udon.. I always feel so at home eating here and the food is never disappointing. I've tried quite a few things from the menu, including their Genki box (which by the way, is always sold out, so go early!), grilled salmon (on one of the daily specials), yakitori donburi, and appetizers like the green salad, mini udon, agedashi tofu, assorted tempera, and I also had the banana tempura for dessert once. Sort of a hidden gem, located in the Nikkei Place, a senior home. But don't be mistaken, it's still super busy during the dinner hours. (I'm n
A Japanese restaurant located in a Seniors home? It's known to the locals as one of the best places to have an authentic home cooked Japanese meal in the Highgate area! This location has been open for decades now! My dad even ate here 20 years ago haha, but this was my first time here! This place is a total hidden gem! It's run by real Japanese people, and the main focus is on Donburi (rice) dishes, not sushi! They have some pretty killer desserts as well! Deep fried ice cream or banana tempura anyone? :D I love the unpretentious, homey, cafeteria type setting! Be sure to ask the lady at the counter for a number to be seated! They're rather busy during meal hours, so be prepared to wait! The food takes a while to come out, which I don't mind, because that means your food is being made to order! Click on the pictures to enlarge it! They serve roasted rice tea, which I love! It has a distinct
...drawn to the chicken karaage, as I was craving something more authentic than the salty chicken wings that all-you-can-eat sushi joints try to pass off as said dish. My wife wanted something lighter, so she chose the beef udon soup.
Hi Genki, if you have never been to there, you may not know it’s a restaurant inside a Japanese nursing room in Burnaby. Entrance. Business hour. It just opened for within an hour and there were already lots of people. Menu~ Saba Nitsuke Mackerel covered with soy sauce Very Japanese traditional home style. Korokke Not bad. Nabeyaki Udon Everything is good except that the tempura prawn is not crispy anymore. Curry with Tempura Prawns The prawns are large, fresh and bouncy. The curry is delicious:) Curry with Pork Cutlet Nice too. Hi Genki is becoming more popular these years because of it’s lovely prices and traditional home style. Recommended especially to those who live at Burnady and craved for some good Japanese dishes:) 6680 Southoaks Cres Burnaby, BC
Food was amazing, dine in the warm family atmosphere. Design is very simple, so probably not somewhere you want to take dates to. Many tables are filled with family with children. The waitresses are dress in casual clothing with a simple apron, wearing comfortable shoes. They aren’t dressing to impress, but their service is great.
The conditions for this meal at Hi Genki: it’s my parents’ anniversary, and they’re not in the mood to go for anything too heavy. Also, they want to have lunch and then go shopping at Metrotown after. Being the family encyclopedia for restaurant-related information, I suggested we try Hi Genki, a Japanese restaurant located inside the Nikkei Home, an assisted living facility next to the National Nikkei Heritage Centre. In high school, I spent a fair number of my Saturday mornings volunteering at a care facility, and the food there didn’t look very appetizing, consisting mainly of purees and such. As a result, I didn’t feel exactly enthusiastic about food prospects at an assisted living facility, but blog reviews of Hi Genki seemed too positive to ignore. Plus, they have their food displayed (with prices), so that helped dispel my anxiety about the food. Judging from the plastic wrap, this is the actual food, and not some plastic model like they have at some restaurants. Pretty neat! To
Good price, generous portions and great food.
If you don’t mind the cafeteria-like setting and generally loud atmosphere, Hi Genki is a good choice for home-style food on a budget. Needless to say though, despite the abundant amount of good reviews, the quality of the food came up a bit short, veering on average.
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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