Review Sushi Bar Zipang - Calgary

Sadly as others have mentioned the quality of the food has slid along with service. It took an hour to get our sushi tonight. It was decently busy inside but I noticed that there were a lot of take out orders. They must focus on the take out orders first as that is where the money is. I found a fish bone and scales in my sushi today. The rolls were also just not put together very well.

I have dined at Sushi Bar Zipang over the years, and my most recent visit was a little disappointing compared to past visits. The service was relatively abrupt and crass. The quality, although good, seems to have diminished and no longer stands up to the price tag. I found the sushi rolls fell apart easily, and were not presented well. The sashimi was definitely well portioned; however, the yellowtail fish tasted a little fishy for my liking, and the color seemed a little dull and grey compared to other hamachi sashimi I've had. I will be back in the future, hopefully the quality will improve.

It's been so long since I've been back. But it's still as good as I remember it in 2016? Rice is cooked perfectly, fish is super fresh, all of the staff super attentive and friendly.

The quality of this restaurant has slid. The sushi is average but I would not recommend the Omakase to anyone. Our appetizers came out quickly but then we had to WAIT AN HOUR AND HALF for a regular sashimi platter to come out. The sashimi platter was nothing special, consisting of just salmon, surf clam, tuna, and some octopus. A server came by to apologize after we had waited an hour but no one else checked in on us afterwards. Terribly slow service and the food served as part of the Omakase was nothing special. For the price you pay, we were expecting at least average service but that was not the case. There was no special Omakase experience and it felt like we just ordered sushi off the menu. NOT WORTH IT FOR $100/PERSON.

Awful! The quality of the sushi was terrible! The ingredients were old and dry. The BC roll tasted stale and the salmon skin was so tough and hard. The cuts of the rolls was like they had a been cut with a butter knife. Extremely disappointed with the food and honestly would never order again. Here I'd a picture of some of the ones that didn't fall apart. Kind of look like rolled up sushi balls..

Great tasting fresh sashimi. The soba was a little salty, with a soy based soup. We also were missing an order from our plate but the server was quick to correct the mistake. This hidden gem can get pretty busy at night. Call ahead to make a reservation. Price range is relatively more expensive ($$) than some of the other Japanese places but I guess it makes up for the fresh seafood. There are lunch and dinner specials that are worth trying.

One of my go-to sushi bars in the city. Either myself or with family and friends. Their nigiris are always fresh even when delivered. Portions are on the bigger side compared to other restaurants. Will try to eat here more often.

18 pieces - 75$ chef's choice with unfresh wasabi. Seriously？ Boss, have you been to Ari sushi or Nupo？ Ask them the price and compare it.

Great sushi...freshest salmon in the city! Actually had the rainbow roll for the first time and it was delicious!!! No crappy fake crab meat...lots of fresh avocado! Just wish there were more red wine selections!

It is the most amazing place for a best sushi and the very best service in the city.!

This is the best sushi in southern Alberta. By far! The service is better than I've experienced in years and the food is exceptional. 10/5!

My favourite sushi in Calgary!! Nothing beats the freshness of Zipang. The size of salmon sashimi will impress you. I absolutely love the place!!! Thank you for always making it so delicious!

Great sushi and service. Location and parking are a challenge if you don't live/work in the area.

Super food and outstanding service! Good job guys!

Our favorite sushi, AMAZINGLY fresh and tasty! Our go to.

My fiance went here for Valentine's dinner. The service and friendly, despite it being super busy. Authentic Japanese cuisine...fresh ingredients at great prices. We'll DEFINITELY be coming back. Thanks again for a wonderful meal! :)

Good food

I was just here with my husband. We used to love zipang but this time they really messed up our order (his soup came 20min before my dish). No apology. The customer service was horrible. The food was good but still I’m very disappointed with the lack of acknowledgement (still paid full price (!) when I actually didn’t get a chance to eat with my husband). I don’t think I will go back.

Zipang is located in the heart of bridgeland. This restaurant has been on my list for a while now and I was lucky enough to try their exquisite menu. From entering into the restaurant we were nicely greet. Their menu has a vast selection from nigri, sashimi to different rolls and appetizers. We tried the tako kimchi salad which had nicely pickled kimchi was large cuts of octopus (delicious and flavorful). The nigiri sushi and sashimi were nicely prepared (thick cut of fresh fish). The prices here are above average but the quality here makes it well worth it. Would definitely come again.

Easily the closest thing to sushi you can get in Japan! We don’t frequent it often because getting a table can be near impossible sometimes. But it is a special place with higher end prices. They’re friendly and serve the freshest fish!

Extremely disappointed. Sushi (nigiri & maki) was bland, poorly constructed, falling apart, & crammed together, which meant sticking together. And to top it all off, inattentive & confusing service. We expected better value given the prices. (1.5/5)

I order take out, ordered 20 mins before i got there & still waited 20 mins. When I got there no one even acknowledged me. I stood there for 10 mins and said excuse me.The food ok, very bland sushi. It’s take out granted but last time I checked sushi comes in a circle see photo, it’s like it was just thrown together. If you were going to throw it together I shouldn’t have waited for 3 rolls!!!! There were people that came up and asked if they were getting they’re order soon. Wouldn’t be a bad idea for more staff might help wait times. I will never go back solely for making me wait for no food sushi and it was over $50

By far the best sushi I have been to. staff was quite attentive and the food was the highest grade I have had in calgary! I would recommend to anyone!

It was long ago, back in my university days (1995-2000) that my good friend Sonja introduced me to sushi. I don’t think we ate it too often back in those days (we were broke), but when we did go out for sushi I sure do remember eating a lot. And, 18+ years later we can still do the same!. I had never been to Sushi Bar Zipang before but it has a great rating on Zomato and I’ve heard about it from friends. I’m glad I made a reservation (for 2, at 6:30) because the restaurant was busy! It’s not a huge restaurant and you’re kind of squished in there, so I definitely recommend you make a reservation.

Sushi is pretty fresh compared to other sushi places in the city. The sushi menu is general basis sushi, not many unique rolls. Servers were okay, not very attentive though.

Without a doubt the best sushi restaurant in Calgary. I get so tired of friends suggesting AYCE sushi when Zipang exists. Yes, as a 312lb man of mystery the bill is sometimes more than $35/pp but for 100% more quality it's worth it.

Love the sushi. <br/><br/>Lots of options and speciality rolls. <br/><br/>I prefer anything with scallop from this place. <br/><br/>Remember to make reservations. I might even consider take out.

The sushi tasted fresh. I thought the rice was good, sticky in texture, the grains were firm, and the amount of vinegar and sugar in the rice was in my opinion, a pleasant balance. Out of all the sushi, the salmon was my favourite, it was buttery and cool.

It was weekend dinner time. I called them 30 min before we come. Fortunately, they have 3 seats available at counter. It was a tiny spaced restaurant but clean and never felt messy. My girl enjoy staring at the chef inside the counter. Sometimes they talk to us and was a very good experience. I can see the main chef? always look around the whole restaurant paying attention to all customers. It was nice.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to eat raw fish that time (torturing me!!), but my husband was very happy with his Donburi full of sashimi. My chicken udon was good, but nothing special. I prefer one from other restaurant which they bake chicken before adding in the udon. It has better flavor.<br/><br/>I will go back and try sushi next time! I must!!<br/> <br/><br/>Update: At 2nd visit, i tired other menu. Chicken Karaage needs major improvement. Tooooo dry.

Absolutely amazing. Super delicious and wildly fresh. A bit on the expensive side but you’re paying for the quality. Some of the best fish I’ve ever had in Calgary and definitely in my top three. <br/><br/>However, the service leaves a lot to be desired. Got there at 6:30pm. Was seated shortly after, received water about ten minutes after that. Order was taken fifteen minutes later. Then it went even more downhill. Received our sushi close to 8pm (again, so so delicious!). Finished our nigiri and the waitress came and asked if we were waiting for anything, which we were. About twenty minutes later, she came and let us know that the person entering the order hadn’t noticed the udon and tempura on the bottom of the sheet (which she had confirmed with us when originally taking our order). We opted to just get our bill and leave. Note: we also only had our small tea cups and water glasses filled once in the entire two hour sitting and this was on a Tuesday night. <br/><br/>TL;DR: amazing food but don’t go if you have plans afterwards.<br/><br/>Hoping to go back and have a better experience as the food was amazing and the servers were kind, despite the level of attention (or lack thereof).

Favorite YYC sushi! To die for steak dish with sansho herbs - basically peppercorns, served with a side of potato salad-ish deliciousness. Also enjoy the udon. Now the sushi - so fresh and tasty, with well formed nigiri. So worth the price, just wish they were open on Sundays!

Japanese Chefs. check. Fresh Fish. check. Pricey? No. Other Sushi places in Cowtown have Chinese or Korean chefs, and the fish is sub par. Service can be a little slow if you're there when it's busy. That's understandable. If you're a regular you may get your food before you order it. Also try the pork cheek they pair it with a little bit of fermented jalapeño. It's fantastic, you can find it on the little stand up menu on your table.

Best sushi I have had in Calgary. Fresh and so delicious. Can be fairly busy at peak times as it is a small space. They have excellent lunch box options too!

Extremely fresh and delicious sushi, huge pieces of mouth-watering sashimi and the best beef rib steak I've ever had!! This sushi restaurant is pricey, however even on a Wednesday evening the place gets packed, so reservations are highly recommended. We ordered the combination dinner menu taiyo course plus shrimp tempura, miso soup and scallop sushi.

Best Sushi in town, great service, fun atmosphere, extremely fresh. Make a reservation even if you plan on just stopping in because always packed.

We were excited to visit Zipang again after a long hiatus. We thought we could treat ourselves even though its pretty pricy! Things started off well. We ordered large tempura, ika no geso age.. fried squid, rice set where you get rice , miso, daily special. We had sockeye, Hamachi, avocado roll, 2 ebi tempura,rainbow and zipang roll. The tempura never came until t h e very end and it was under fried. For 15.50 you get 4 prawn and one each assorted vegetable. I think they could have more generous and have at least 2 each veggie. Not worth getting as the large waa small. The fried squid was over fried dry and just tentacles. Not a fan of tentacles. The rice set.. tiny bowl of rice that had a flat top. T h e daily special was cold marinated salmon. Thought we would try it but again not a fan this type of dish. The best were literally the rainbow ebi temp roll aka dynamite roll and zipang was good too. We knew they wanted the table for another reservation but we were missing 2 dishes. We had to ask for the large tempura and one of t h e dynamite a number of times. They also took the tea pot and didn't return it. But the part the was really annoying was near the end of our dinner when the waitress kicked the the chair leg every time she passed to go to the window tables to stand by the window. There's no way that was an accident after the 3rd time. The tables are so close together you're almost sitting at someone else's table. They did have a nice clean bathroom with change table. It's a very popular place but we would have thought since it's been around so long it would be a well oiled machine. Anyone got snacks?

Pricey but you definitely get what you pay for. Zipang definitely has the freshest fish in Calgary! I highly recommend the deluxe sashimi and oysters! I will definitely be going back!

Great place, fresh fish, prompt and helpful service, lots of great other small side dishes that you don't find at other Japanese restaurants. One of the top in the city.

This is a very cute little space right on the main road. Parking is a pain but it wasn't too hard to find. We sat at the bar which was fun since we got to watch our chef prepare our food for us. Husband really enjoyed his Alaska roll and the yakitori chicken. The spicy tuna roll was spicy, the udon soup was good and the red tuna sushi was delicious (a little expensive for me at $5.25 a piece but am glad I tried it). The servers were all very friendly. Would definitely come back.

It's a small but very authentic sushi store in bridge land. <br/><br/>Pro:food is awesome!<br/>Con:Nope!<br/><br/>I visited for dinner and it was very very delicious!<br/><br/>I ordered beef tataki, beef tongue, and chicken gizzard for appetizers. <br/><br/>My favorite was beef tataki, it was delicious and decent potion. It was seasoned with ponzu(citrus soysauce ) and daikon radish and the beef was light but tender. I loved it. <br/><br/>Beef tongue was ok, it wasn't seasoned but there wasn't salt on the table so it was kind of bland to me. Gizzard was also bland but it was ok. <br/><br/>Their sushi was very delicious!<br/>Me, as a Japanese, I can't say I didn't get disappointed on the rice, because it is a bit hard and dry compare to Japanese sushi rice. However, I also understand it is very difficult to get the Japanese rice in Yyc, so insidering that it was good. <br/><br/>Their fish was thick and decent size. My favorite was salmon. Salmon was really good! Tuna stuff like Toro was alright. I recommend salmon better <br/><br/>Rolles were ok. Nothing special. Nigiri is better. <br/><br/>For price, it isn't cheap. If you want to eat 10 nigiri, it'd be 25-40 depends on what you order. And I know 10 sushi isn't much filling for guys... however, the food, especially their nigiri was really good so I think it's worth trying!!<br/><br/>Their service was nice too. They have counter and you can watch them make sushi. <br/><br/>I didn't try alcohol in this time but they had japanese sake and things so I'll try next time. <br/><br/>Overall, I love their food, it's not everyday dining price but I'd definitely come back!

Came here for lunch with a co-worker. We both did the $16 lunch special which includes miso soup, rice or salad and 2 choices of mains. I had the sushi and the mixed tempura. Everything came out really fast, salad and soup were both flavorful. The sushi was decent portion, nice and fresh pieces of sashimi on well rolls rice that were just sweet enough. The tempura was very crispy and light although slightly oily as in the fryer temperature was not quite hot enough. Overall a great lunch and I would definitely come back and try more items.

Sorely disappointed with my last two visits here.  Both times I made reservations (as they're busy!) and both times they neglected to hold a table.  They crammed two of us in between two tables and we had to move the table out to get to the seat by the wall.  The second time was for a birthday dinner and she admitted to having given our table away to a walk in so we were left standing at the door (it's crammed in there) waiting for a table of 2 to finish that had taken up a table for 4.  Both times the service was so incredibly slow that I wanted to pick up and leave.  How is it that a table that arrives after you, receives their drinks and their food before you have so much as a glass of water on your table?  The appetizers were good (they consistently are) but the sushi was served warm and fell apart when you picked them up.  This used to be my favorite sushi place but between the wait, the service and the not-so-great sushi, I'm on the hunt for a replacement.   It's a very busy place, with a very loyal following but I don't want to suffer through bad service for just passable sushi.  It wasn't always (and apparently isn't always) like this but I'm not planning on going for strike three here.  Sorry.

Best sushi in Calgary, for sure. I eat sushi weekly, and am from Vancouver so have had some pretty delicious sushi in my time. These guys are for sure the best and freshest. Love the atmosphere too. Very helpful, friendly staff. I actually want to rate them badly because I don't want them to become more popular than they already are. However, I love them and want them to get the respect they deserve! Make a reso if you are going at a busy time!

The best sushi in Calgary, bar none. This will always be on my list of places to go on the regular. <br/><br/>Sir at the bar for the best experience.

One of the finest sushi in Calgary, all Japanese staff and chefs I had the sun and moon platter. It tasted awesome and extra fresh. It's definitely not the cheapest place but every dollar was worth it.

We go out for sushi quite often and can't believe we haven't gone to this place until now! The sashimi and sushi was amazing! One of the best places we have ever gone to. The deluxe assorted sashimi was super fresh and they were big, thick pieces. We didn't have a reservation but was able to get sat at the bar. The place was packed and there was a lineup, crazy busy and I understand why. The Ika-geso was crispy and not oily and perfectly seasoned. The tanuki roll was quite yummy as well. I was nice sitting at the bar watching the chefs prepare our rolls and sushi. Service was excellent too. Will definitely becoming back here.

The girlfriend was craving sushi so we were in the area and we went straight here. It was packed so the only seating they had was at the bar. All the staff here are very pleasant. They have an extensive menu including grilled items like chicken yakitori and chicken gizzards if you're into that stuff. We ordered whatever we felt like, we got their Assorted Sashimi platter and various rolls like Spicy Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Negi Toro, Rainbow Roll, Toro and Uni. Everything tasted nice and surprising freshness about it. All fish were perfect sliced and crafted. Watching it being made in front of you always seems to bring out the taste better in my opinion. At the very end I ordered some Grilled Chicken Gizzards and it did take a while for it to come out. A bit warm but it was delicious. Overall this is a very good place to go to for sushi, a hidden gem if you will. As the area is rather barren and odd for a Japanese restaurant.

Solid. Three of us enjoyed the lunch specials here. Service was good. The food was well prepared and presented. Its a nice room, with enough space to have a good conversation with your pals. We all agreed that we would come again. Thanks Sushi Bar Zipang.

On a quest for some good sushi at a place we haven't tried before had us ending up outside of a small door leading into a small room that was bustling with activity.<br/><br/>The place was full at the tables and the sushi bar. They ran out of chairs so we had to sit in fold out temporary chairs which was fine with us but more curious than anything (maybe two chairs broke and they have to replace them). <br/><br/>They had the more exotic options and choices making their selection a true blue Japanese spot and we ordered a lot of sashimi. Can't speak to price as my friend ended up catching the bill (thanks buddy!) But the food was authentic and fresh. <br/><br/>A few things I didn't like was the fact that catching a server was difficult even in a small room like this, the menu was itemized and hard to read and follow, the place was crammed. <br/><br/>Notice nothing was bad about the food? ;)

This place is extremely busy and we were lucky to get a seat without a reservation! All the sashimi was fresh and served in generous slices. This restaurant is definitely very pricey but it's quite worth it for quality Japanese food that also tastes authentic.

My boyfriend and I came here tonight and had a very good experience overall. <br/><br/>We got there right around 6:00 and got a couple of seats at the bar (a lot of the tables had been reserved - obviously very popular!) The beer selection was fairly average but the service was extremely prompt!<br/><br/>All of the sushi and rolls we ordered were very good - the fish was fresh and the flavors all worked well together. My only disappointment was that the rice on the unagi sushi and the spicy scallop roll fell apart right when you tried to pick it up. It's always a shame when half the rice falls in your soy sauce! Luckily the flavor of both more than made up for the rice <br/><br/>I will definitely come back here again to try more of their rolls and sashimi. The quality and flavor of the fish is hard to find elsewhere!

Zipang has become my go-to sushi bar in Calgary. Tremendous quality, and consistent. Plus, they put up with the rowdy geologists I always go with.

Owner is super friendly, we are always greeted with a warm welcome upon arrival. The sushi is always fresh and so delicious! Make sure u make a reservation because they fill up quickly!

This is by far my favourite sushi spot in Calgary. The fish is always fresh and properly cut and they have a great assortment of Japanese dishes, both sushi and cooked food. Love the steak with sancho herbs (a really interesting tasting peppercorn) with a yummy mashed potato scoop on the side. Always busy but they are accommodating with last minute reservations or walk-ins, especially at the sushi bar. Service is typical for sushi restaurants - fast, efficient, not overly friendly.

Best sushi place in Calgary, hands down.  The service was also incredible.  After trying 20+ sushi places in Calgary, finally found this place.  The sushi rice is very authentic and their selection is great as well.  Well worth the price.

My husband and I got there without reservation. Although it was packed, all servers and sushi chefs were so kind and had a good service. The food was just outstanding too! <br/>We sat at the counter table (It's actually my husband's favourite spot at Sushi bar). It was nice to see both sushi chefs' work in front. The other good thing was sushi chefs were looking after us so well when all servers were busy. They never forget about us.<br/>I don't think it's overprice. We will definitely go back sometime soon.

Went with my friend because she wanted to eat sashimi. The unadon that I got was way too sweet and I was disappointed by it. The rice was really coarse and not tasty. It's too sweet when they didn't even put that much sauce on it and even after I scraped out the sauce. If you are someone that really likes a lot of teriyaki sauce and dry coarse rice then you would like their unadon. Note that it comes with skin so if you don't like the skin part, don't get it. The portion is quite big which will appeal to some. <br/><br/>In terms of tempura, I really liked the shrimp tempura, but the vegetable ones didn't taste as good beside the broccoli one. This place is small-sized and very popular and you should reserve if possible, otherwise you probably have to wait for seat. I did not like their counter seating area because it is too crowded and you could totally bump into all the waiters. Service wise, you pretty much had to call people to get served. <br/><br/>My friend did enjoy her sashimi tho! I think I might come eat here again and try their maki rolls.

A cute little sushi place in bridgeland. The sushi is very fresh and the food just melts in your mouth. The price is a little pricey but overall the food quality is very good.

This is one of those places you drive by every now and again and go "hey, I like the idea of stuffing my face with food until I die! Let's go for it!" and you will be tempted to come here once a year or so. Let me just say - they will always win.

Sushi is pretty awesome. Tuna and salmon are some of the best in the city. <br/><br/>Have been here for dine in and gotten take out. Great service with both.<br/><br/>Their tempura is some of my favourite. Nice crispy light batter, not too thick or greasy. The house special role is great. I also love tomago, inari, and shitaki which they do very well.<br/><br/>Still trying to find a place in Calgary that does a great real crab sushi. Rice with a big chunk of crab, not shredded crab. That makes it quite dry. The crab sushi they have here is ok, but not as good as I've had in other cities. Would love recommendations!

Awesome sushi!!! Always fresh and tons of choices! Love the miso, sashimi and rolls. The veggie, rainbow and Alaska rolls are some favorites. They also have some special dinner options which is nice to try out as well. The staff is always super friendly and welcoming. Great for takeout, lunch or date night.

Took a long time for food to come but was super fresh and delicious! Had a mixture of sushi rolls, sashimi, and grilled trout, would recommend the assorted sashimi!! Big pieces that were amazingly fresh.

I went out of my way to try this Sushi Bar in September and found it to be quite average. The sushi is good and the sashimi are nice thick pieces and taste very fresh which is important! The beef tataki leaves much to be desired though (subpar). They have a good selection of sake.<br/>Ambiance and service are honestly nothing special. I actually found the server to be painfully slow even though the restaurant wasn't even full. <br/>Bottom line; I'm not really sure what all of the hype is about.

Hands down the best sushi in town. Nao san is awesome and the best selections are always off the menu. Go omakase, sit back, and let them take care of you.

Sushi Bar Zipang is a cozy Japanese restaurant that prides itself on authenticity and quality ingredients. It offers some of the freshest sashimi in the city, and features an eclectic menu catering to traditionalists and the adventurous alike. The oysters were delicious, and really set the tone for the rest of the meal, as I was presented with dish after dish of ocean fresh choices. The service was friendly, although I did find the seating area to be on the smaller side. One thing to keep in mind though, is that it can be a little bit on the pricier side, so while it may not be somewhere to eat daily, it's certainly a place to treat yourself once in a while!

This place is a gem in the neighborhood. If you ever get to hear this guys story, you'll know his humble beginnings and his dedication to quality food and service.

The sushi here is very good and fresh. However, we came at a busy hour and we had to wait over for our food and we ordered just sushi. It was very frustrating when you are hungry! The menu is very limited. You can't change anything in the assorted and to order each single item separately is very expensive. If they change their menu to be a bit more flexible I'll probably come back.

Have been going to this restaurant since it opened. Our last visit on Sept 24 was below par. We ordered appetizers, sushi & sashimi a la carte and a set dinner. There were interesting appetizers (e.g. grilled beef tongue, see photo). Most of the dishes were good, but short of outstanding.The menu items prices were top percentile, but the quality and presentation fell short. The sushi sashimi arrangement was amateurish. The salmon was very good. The hamachi (yellow tail) was the near the tail cut and stringy. Hotate (scallops) lacked the sheen of a quality product.  The set dinner was best value. The tempura batter could be a bit lighter. The service was attentive and efficient, without being intrusive. There was ample service staff.  <br/>For the same price point, I prefer other sushi bar options.

Awesome place I love it. I moved here last year from Vancouver where we are spoiled with fresh seafood so when I found this place I had a sigh of relief. Finally found a place in Calgary with fresh tasting fish. Gets busy so consider making a reso. Definitely will be back!

This is a really great place to stop by for sushi. They're always willing to try and accommodate any last minute reservations that you might have. There have been several times where I've called looking for a table in 20 minutes and they've never given me trouble. You can taste the difference in quality of the sushi when you eat here. The service is always amazing and they put the customer first. I must admit that one time I did find a bone in my sushi, but they apologized many times and did not charge me for the plate (unlike some other sushi restaurants I've been to). A reservation is definitely recommended, especially for weekends. It's packed until 9:00pm. Make sure to try heir house roll and deep fried baby octopus!

No complaints but not that extrordinare. <br/>The Sushi house does serve great sushi but i've found places with same quality of sushi for less. To be fair i didn't grab much from the dinner menu which could be where this restaurants magic really lies at. I do wonder why it is so highly recommended and usually the collective of the people zomato are right i find. So the game changer, if you can do get a chance to sit by the sushi bar, it's where all the magic happens. You get to see the chef's-who have developed a very specific food making niche-in action. I was seated at a regular dining table so my experience was the usual dining just with japanes cuisine instead of a typical north american dish. Point and case, great food, good dining a smidge over rated.

So the last stop of our ABC's of YYC adventure is Zipang for Z week!  It was one of the first and most memorable fine dining experiences we had on Valentine's Day in 2009 (by fine dining, we mean one of the nicer restaurants).  We were still both in high school and were so giddish when we managed to land a table for their set menu dinner.  It was such a lovely experience that we still remember it to this day, so needless to say we were quite excited.

Excellent sushi! Fresh and good sized! Perfect temperature. Tempura --- light and crispy! One of the best tempura anywhere! <br/>Dinner combos are excellent value.

Fresh fish that's always the star of the plate - the way it should be. No bells and whistles, just great food. A big fan of tuna, I always get the Tekka Don and it always delivers. That extra scoop of negi toro is like whoa.

Terrific lunch today at Zipang.  Food was excellent, service outstanding and a wonderful overall experience.  Would highly recommend this restaurant!

Finally got to try this place! I've heard lots of good things about Zipang so I was excited to finally try this place. <br/><br/>First, I would recommend making a reservation. We went at 7pm on a Wednesday and the place was packed with a wait. The restaurant seemed really short staffed, there were only two or three servers trying to help everyone in the entire restaurant. <br/><br/>We tried a little bit of everything - sashimi, sushi, maki rolls, big rolls, udon, and dessert. I think the sashimi here is amazing, good thick cuts! The salmon was extra fatty and super good. Everything else was good, but not amazing. I was disappointed with the red bean fruit parfait, I was expecting an actual parfait, not a bowl of canned fruits with red bean in it. It was an extra cost to add the red bean paste in it as well. <br/><br/>I would definitely revisit here, but be more limited in my menu selection. Will probably stick to just sashimi and sushi. Worth a visit if you are craving fresh sashimi :)

Best sushi in town. I love sushi. I can eat the stuff 7 days a week no problem. Growing up as a kid I lived in Tokyo for a number of years so I've become a sushi snob over time. For me, it's freshness that beats everything else. I don't need some crazy combination roll if the fish itself is lousy. Unfortunately this is the plight of us Calgarians as we do not generally get fresh seafood. I've been impressed with Zipang since I was introduced to it when I moved to the city and have been going back non-stop since. I've tried dozens of other sushi joints in the city but have yet to find a place that has such fresh fish. The tuna and salmon sashimi is incredible. Tip - go at lunch because you cannot beat the price of the lunch combos.

The best sushi spot in all of Calgary. Tucked away in Bridgeland, it's an intimate spot that's usually packed -- their seafood is always extremely fresh, their offerings very authentic. I would highly recommend Zipang, to dine in or to take out.

You won't find half their menu anywhere else in Calgary. You don't eat rolls here, you try new things that are creative & fresh. This is by far one of the top "Japanese" kitchens in the city and I didn't say sushi because they have a good diversity of items. If your partner says they love Japanese food, ask them if they've experienced Zipang...and tell them to bring their wallet!

Fresh fresh Sushi :)<br/>This place is on the more expensive side of sushi, but worth it. Everytime i come here, i have to get the Salmon don. Soooo fresh and the rice tastes soo good.<br/>They have some really neat speciality dishes as well.  I enjoyed the seasoned spinach dish as well as the squid.<br/><br/>I will need to return to capture some pictures and include a longer review on my blog :)

Very busy sushi bar. Reservations required even during the week, and he gets shipments midweek so it's worth checking out on a thursday for the bluefin and sea urchin... by Saturday night it's usually gone. It's pricey but we are 1000km from an ocean...

The food here is always fresh and the closest you can get to authentic Japanese food in the Western world. The staff are friendly, and the prices are reasonable for what you get. They work pretty fast which is always a plus. Nothing really bad to say about this place!

Went here with my girlfriend last week.<br/>the atmosphere was nice and the servers were attentive and friendly.<br/>The chefs making sushi were also very friendly.<br/>We went in around 6:30 and the place was packed.<br/>We had an udon, Alaskan roll and one of the suchi combos, I can't remember the name.<br/>Udon and Alaskan rolls were excellent.<br/>Sushi was good too but I've had better<br/><br/>Overall great exp

I came here for a random date tonight and was excited to try Zipang out since I've heard and read so many good things about it. My companion suggested sushi, so the decision to come here was on a whim and we did not have reservations. The restaurant was full at 8pm on a wednesday night, so that was surely a good sign but it didn't take too long before a table cleared up for us. <br/><br/>I thought that the prices were reasonable, and within range of similar Japanese restaurants in the city. The Tara Kasuzuke (Black Cod) was decent, but lacked the savouriness  compared to other ones I've had within Calgary. The Spicy Hotate and Spicy Salmon Rolls weren't spicy at all, and was your average maki. I was excited when I saw that the Tuna/Salmon Sashimi came in nice, thick, pieces but other than the size, they also fell short of expectations unfortunately. The House Special roll was cut unevenly and wasn't anything special. <br/><br/>Service was acceptable, but definitely could've been more attentive. My experience at Sushi Bar Zipang was still good overall; there just wasn't anything that made it stand out above the many other Japanese restaurants in Calgary. I would give them another try at some point in the future, but they did not live up to their reputation for us tonight.

This is the best sushi in the city by far and the best sushi I have ever had. The sushi chefs are incredibly talented and quick. Eat at the bar if you can to watch these masters work.

My search is finally over when.... I found Zipang! They made sushi like the way I like it. Fresh ingredients, perfect ratio and delicious! It is pricey, but worth every last penny.

Small and authentic looking place. <br/>Favourite Japanese restaurant in Calgary. <br/>They have the freshest sushi.<br/>I dont like there cooked/deep-fried food though.<br/>- they need to change their oil.<br/>I would strictly just order fish here.

Nothing special, quite overrated judging by the reviews on here.<br/><br/>The hot dishes are average and the sushi quality and choices are average as well. I wasn't even able to try my favourite kind as it wasn't available on the menu.<br/><br/>This place is a 70% restaurant at best

Ok, but I won't be back. For reference, I've had some of the best sushi in the world (Jiro, Mizutani, etc), so I do come with some relevant perspective.<br/><br/>I don't expect that level of sushi in Calgary (and it's apples to oranges), but I can compare to other Calgary sushi restaurants. Within Calgary, Zipang has a good selection of nigiri. The fish, while not as good as Vancouver, is acceptable for Calgary standards. The rice is average...utility sushi quality...temperature is too cold and just filler rather than something that's supposed to interplay with the fish. And the price, comparatively, is more expensive ($5-$6 per piece for the "special" nigiri). The toro is just bad...anywhere in Calgary...it's not supposed to be a tan color. <br/><br/>Conclusion: if you're looking for a more extensive nigiri selection, this is your place...and be prepared to pay for it. If you're fine with the usual selection, Kinjo is the same quality at about half the price.

BEST SUSHI IN CALGARY. This place is hands down the best sushi place in Calgary. Although the prices are on the higher side, it's because the quality is top notch! You get what you pay for! The beef is so good and just melts in your mouth and the sushi/sashimi is super fresh and delicious. No complaints about this place!

Recommended restaurant. Sashimi was really fresh and delicious! Me and my bf just search on urban spoon and give this restaurant a try, food was excellent but the space was too tight, and we sat by the door, it gets really cold when people come in and left

Went here with a party of 24 for the first time. Service was great, they accommodated everyone even though the restaurant was tight. Sashimi was so fresh, love the raw prawn with the head attach, rolls were great and the cooked food was wonderful especially the grilled cod. Definitely will go back.

As close to Japan as your going to get in Cowtown. Great staff and the food is prepared nicely. This is as authentic as your going to get in yyc. No fusion just the real deal with great service.

Sushi Bar Zipang. We went here on a Saturday around 8pm and it was packed - I can see why. It's far from fancy inside but the food is delicious. I tried 3 different rolls and ordered wayyy to much sashimi. Everything was super fresh and tasty. They have daily specials and everything sounded yum - I'll definitely have to go back.

I've ate sushi all over the world including Japan. This is the best sushi in Calgary.

New fav!. Love Salmon belly! Most rolls very tastedy didn't feel needed to order sashimi and am def. sashimi person! Can't wait to try more :)

This place is going downhill. Price expected for the location but the quality of food is not matching up. Tataki small and average. Sushi is ok, tempura is so average, nothing wows you whether it is taste, presentation, freshness or portion. The worst of all is the service. You have to beg them to come over. I don't know what it is that will bring me back again.

Bar none, best authentic sushi in Calgary.. You better make a reservation here, (or sit at teh sushi bar -- which is fun too) but you know you will be getting the freshest, most authentic Japanese taste experience at Zipang. Great food and service. you will not be disappointed. you know you are at the right place when the Japanese community are the majority of the people in there. Can't be beat.

Dinner: Great Food. It has been a great sushi restaurant for years, but one can't go there at the spur of the moment as you need a reservation for sure and they close on Sundays. Some planning is needed if you really want a great Japanese dinner. <br/><br/>Quality was awesome, probably one of the tops in Calgary. Prices were very reasonable when compared to the quality you are getting. Sashimis were fresh. The soy wasn't watered down and they use decent quality wasabi. . The rolls were made nicely. The eel in the Unagi Don was plump and delicious. Overall, it was a great dining experience.

Disappointed... I heard Sushi Bar Zipang's reputation so I had high expectation especially tempura and nigiri. I and my friend went there during lunch time and it was packed with many people. We thought we can enjoy fresh and good quality sashimi, nigiri and tempura. We ordered almost kinds of menu, sashimi, nigiri, teriyaki chicken, beef tataki spider roll and tempura because we didn't want to miss anything. However, server didn't bring our salad and miso soup until we finished our appetizer and first main dish. Beef tataki and nigiri was good but not like its price. The rest of order was so bad and tempura was not cooked properly so we couldn't finish them. If I have a chance to come here again and I don't need to pay, I will come and order only sashimi and nigiri.

Lunchtime - not their A-Game. After reading such good reviews, I was excited to go here. I had high expectations which led to significant disappointment. The rice was really poorly seasoned, and the fish tasted 'fishy', plus it was stringy and I found a fish-scale in my sashimi. Plus... the nigiri sushi is about 25% more expensive than other places I go - and the quality wasn't there. Not recommended for lunch. Perhaps they bring their A-Game (and fresh fish... and properly seasoned rice... and nori that isn't chewy...) to their dinner service?

Awesome food and service. Great little spot. Nice atmosphere. Friendly service and the plating of the food is beautiful.<br/>Would definitely come again as their menu has a lot of choices to choose from and it'd be my pleasure to try them all.

A wonderful time and meal. Wow! We went here on a whim, heard it was good, but didn't expect such intimate, professional and friendly service! The food was amazingly presented and tasted incredible, the real thing! The chef, his crew , the staff were all so attentive. It was such a fun dinner experience, and it made a wonderful memory, I look forward to going there again soon! Thank-you all very much!

Amazing place!!! First sushi restaurant I've ever been to that was literally packed all night since 5pm on a Friday night. My new favorite place after Wa's Japanese (closed). So good!!! Sashimi is very fresh and creamy (melt in your mouth). California roll - creamy and delicious. All rolls were super fresh and really, really good. Their fish is outstanding. I am a new fan. Will be back weekly!!

Best Sushi in Town. Definitely a good place if you are a sushi snob, Zipang has always been up in the top 3 sushi restaurants in Calgary. Going to start coming here a lot more since Wa's is closed =( although no one can replace they're Charashi. Zipang has by far the freshest fish in the entire city. I can't believe the way the sashimi just melts in my mouth. Worth giving a try and falling in love but if you like cheap sushi and don't really know the difference just go back to your usual spot because this place is definitely on the higher $$$.

Just a little over two years later and I still love this place. It's ALWAYS busy even in weeknights. <br/><br/>They expanded their menu to have some specialty affordable dishes such as beef tongue, chicken liver, pork belly and etc. Reminds me a lot of Vancouver tapa style Japanese restaurants. The quality of the raw foods delivers one of the most consistent, fresh and generous sizes. <br/><br/>I always recommend here and every guest I've brought have always enjoyed it too. To be able to maintain quality and meet expectations for this many years seems rare nowadays. I really hand it down to Zipang! <br/><br/><br/><br/>Jan 3, 2014<br/>The freshest raw fish and oysters in town! Great service. And authentically cooked Japanese dishes. Always different specials. Never a disappointment! Make sure u make a reservation!

Authentic, High Quality. Super high quality sushi, and very authentic, very Japanese (a lot of sushi restaurants have Chinese or Korean chefs) - a bit more expensive than other places but oh so soothing for the belly.

Best Sushi in Calgary. Every time I'm here, I have a great time. The atmosphere is fairly casual, the servers are attentive, but the real star is the food. I always eat their sashimi because the portion sizes are large in comparison to other sushi places, and you can taste the quality in the food that they serve.

Best Sushi in Calgary. This is by far my favorite sushi place in Calgary.. No where else really compares to the quality and service. The spider roll and creamy scallop are a must have!

Yum!!. Seemed like a quiet sushi place in Bridgeland. Wasn't too many people on a Friday night, which was nice. <br/><br/>Service was good, and the food was delicious! We ordered some rolls including the unagi in tempura batter, as well as the spider roll (soft shell crab). I will most likely come back to try more items on their menu.

Oh Yeah!. I say this is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Calgary, been there many time with family and friends. Price ain't cheap but it's always worth it when the food is great.

The best fresh sushi you can get. Place is super small but service is friendly. I suggest you make resos since it gets super busy. Really great sushi place. Let's just say coming back from Japan, I'll only eat at 2 sushi places, and this is definitely one of them.

The Best of the Best. By far and away THE most authentic sushi establishment in Calgary. Fresh and impeccably prepared sushi complemented by friendly and professional staff.<br/><br/>As a patron of over 8+ years and a sushi aficionado, Zi-Pang is unbeatable in quality and preparation. Naoya San is true Master of his art. Clean flavours without the gimmicks and novelty of other Sushi joints (no heavy mayo, or weird fusion combinations).<br/><br/>A must try for sushi lovers.

Save for dessert. Sushi at this place is good but nothing memorable. They do have some authentic items like ox tongue, chicken hearts, etc if you are into that kind of stuff. It is also quite expensive again for nothing memorable. They have this unique Japanese dessert called purin which is Japanese style custard that is the only reason I will go back to this place.

You get what you pay for.... Zipang has fantastic sushi. Their fish is uber fresh, and the knife skills of the chef's are razor sharp. The main issue for me is that it's difficult to eat here for under $100 (for two). As a result, Zipang will remain a special occasion destination.

New favorite Sushi Restaurant. The sushi was so fresh and the rice was soft and chewy. I definitely think this will be my new favorite sushi place in Calgary. However, everything on the menu was a little pricey, but so very worth it.