Food is good. Not sure why people complain about the price tag. Sure the skewer portion is small, but it is also $2, so order more. $12.99 Sapporo draft pitcher summer deal is redonk. Food is tasty, fresh, and well cooked.
Service is pleasant, but god help you if you need them. They need to be more alert and attentive. If it takes you 20 minutes to take my first order, you're not allowed to tell me that I only have 30 minutes left on my table.
Make sure to call for reservations before coming in. There were quite a number of items to choose from the menu. The skewers were quite good and the platter was a nice variety of skewers to try. Remember that prices are per skewer so order the number of skewers you want. The service was very good and the food was delicious. The dorayaki matcha dessert was yummy but I found that the green tea roasted pudding had a unique flavour and consistency, something that I probably wouldn't order again. Overall, great place to check out!
This is one of my favourite robatayaki places in Toronto!
I ordered mostly meat-skewers but the one that stood out the most was the tsukune (chicken meatball) set - the norimayo and cheese sauce were my favourite :P
I would also recommend the shoyo onigiri (soy sauce on rice ball) and the Oropon Hamachi (yellow tail with daikon and ponzu sauce). I'm getting hungry just typing this up..
I'm usually a fan of takowasabi but I thought they added too much wasabi sauce onto it - it actually made me tear up haha! :*D
I'd recommend Zakkushi to anyone who enjoys lively environment, although it's a little crowded. Our server was very friendly. I'd definitely come back :)
Great food with great friend! I would like to try more food there! The oden was tasty! Tongue and meatball skewer were the ones I loved~ next time must try some sake!
This place is awesome. There’s a huge variety of interesting skewers to try. Everything I had was great, especially the wagyu which was done perfectly. The only thing is that these are just skewers so I would need many to get full – and this can rack up quite a bill at the end. But still, it’s one of the best Japanese restaurants in town.
This was my second visit to Zakkushi, my last visit being when they first opened a couple years ago. The food at Zakkushi was delicious and I would definitely recommend going. Even after opening a couple years ago, it's still quite busy so reservations would be a wise choice. I would highly recommend ordering the Mochi Maki, Chicken Gizzard, and the Waygu Beef as those were my favourite skewers. Also, all the main dishes that were ordered, including the Kura Buta Bacon Caesar Salad, Foil Yaki, and Negi P-Toro, were full of flavour so I would definitely give those a try as well.
This isn't a spot to be missed, both because of the quality of the food and the wide array of offerings. It's a quieter place with welcoming vibe.
Once seated, you'll be offered a hot towel for your hands.
The barley tea works as a delicious palate cleanser between dishes. And you'll want to try as many dishes as you can.
The star of the show is the agé mochi. Each piece is a sticky mouthful of rice topped with shredded seaweed and crunchy toasted sesame seeds that are in perfect contrast with the sweet soy sauce.
That's not to say that any other dish is less than delicious. The zucchini skewer, the garlic prawn, the scallops or the BBQ beef are delicious as well and belong to my favorites.
Actually, everything you taste here is awesome.
One of the best Japanese restaurants in town is worth visiting even if you're not the biggest fan of Asian cuisine or sushi. You won't leave hungry for sure!
This was a new experience for me. I have never been to an Izakaya before. The atmosphere was hectic, but casual. The food was delicious! I ate the takowasabi (calamari w/ wasabi) as an appetizer. Then I ate the Zakkushi set which was four different meats on a stick. I also ate some individual items (cheese tsukune/chicken meatball, cheese yaki/chicken thigh, and beef tongue) before I ordered the chicken karaage (deep fried chicken) which was my favourite. Finally, I ordered the ikayaki - grilled squid - which I could take or leave. . I used some soy sauce mayo on the side and it was tasty!
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Fantastic food, great service. Leaving hungry and disappointed from the badly disorganized rip-off that was the Toronto Sushi Festival, we went looking for the rest of our dinner. We decided to give Zakkushi a try, not realizing it was an Izakaya. I'd read about Izakaya, but never went to one, because at my age, I'm not much interested in boisterous places that are more about drinking than the food. Boy, was I ever wrong, at least about Zakkushi.
Yes, the music was bouncy, but it was in my wheelhouse. Most importantly, the food was incredible - succulent, tasty, cooked to perfection, with a unique grill flavour (could it be the Japanese hardwood?). The salmon teriyaki skewers were quite delicious, but it was the scallop skewers that blew us away. Scallops are hard to get right and these were delicately cooked, soft and tender. I groaned out loud when I first tasted the bacon of the bacon/asparagus skewer, it was that good! And the shitaki mushroom with ponzu offered an elevated depth of flavour. We also enjoyed the rice balls with soy sauce and the tofu, which were both crispy, warm and flavourful. All this for $30 (two of everything except one tofu skewer) plus tax & tip, including two small pots of tea. (My only criticism was that the bill was presented to the man at the table and she would not leave until he caught her eye and thanked her, even though I had already done so. And I was the one paying.)
I have to say a bit about the attentive service, from the moment we walked in the door to the time we left. Even though we were more than twice the age of most of the people in the place (including the staff), we were treated with kindness and warmth, even though we were a bit startled at first by the loud and exuberant greetings and goodbyes that erupted from staff at each arrival and departure. Sort of like the old Licks or Johnny Rockets routine, except these kids do it with disciplined gusto, not the limply forced and embarrassed chirrups of mainstream chain diners. The staff seemed genuinely pleased at our effusive praise of the food. From the confident and cheerful guy managing the front grill, to our friendly servers, to the two staffers who walked us all the way to the door and sent us off with a sweet wave, they were all incredibly adorable.
What a happy and delightful accident! We will be back, if they won't mind a couple of old folks like us crashing the party. :)
What a fantastic place! I went there last night with my boyfriend and we had an absolutely wonderful time. The service was excellent! As a waitress myself with years of experience, I was super delighted by how friendly and cheerful the staff were. I think it's such an important part of the dining experience. This is a fun place to go for a date or with friends! If I lived in Toronto I'd absolutely want to go here with friends to grab a drink or two and have some delicious food. It's not too loud either, no need to have to shout over the loud music or anything. Chicken karagee and chicken heart skewers with sea salt are a must try. And the prices are VERY reasonable.
Must try!. I had a fantastic Birthday meal here. Lots to drink, delicious food. Great service. Will return!
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Great service at very short notice!. I've been to Zakkushi twice. The first time was with a big group of friends, and I didn't think much about it. I also didn't expect to get full because we were sharing all the skewers.
This second time, was just me and my bf, on his bday. We arrived at 6:30pm on a Friday evening without reservation. The wait staff said they could take us in if we could finish by 7:30pm (I think they had a big group reservation at 7:30pm). We usually eat quite fast and planned to eat elsewhere afterwards, so agreed to be seated. My bf did the ordering, and once the food started coming, we always had food on the table until our last order came. I really like eating heart/liver/gizzard/tongue and such, so I really like Zakkushi where I can order moderate amount of each without them having to be an entree. The chicken is really good! I'm a cheese lover, but their cheese skewers are a bit disappointing. Looks like it's just a slice of kraft cheese placed on top of a skewer...not even fully melted. Maybe we ordered a bit more than expected, but we were both full by the end, so cancelled the plan for second dinner. The bill came to about $100 before tax for the two of us, which I thought was a bit on the expensive side. But I didn't mind it, and gave a 20% tip - here is why.
At the end of the meal, at around 7:20pm (10min before we had to leave for the next group), my bf went to the washroom. Just thought I'd give it a try, I asked a waitress if they have any bday specials that I can get for my bf. The waitress went to speak to other wait staff, and asked me to choose a dessert. As I was looking at the menu, my bf was walking back from the washroom already. So I quickly pointed at the matcha ice cream dorayaki, and the waitress nodded and left the table discreetly. A few minutes later, they turned the lights off (the entire restaurant!), played this cheesy funny happy birthday song, and brought the dessert with a small candle on it to my bf. It was a complete surprise to him! They took a picture for us after turning the lights on, and wrote a cute card with the Polaroid on it for me to sign. These were really sweet things to do and were done in a matter of minutes. Although I had to pay for the dessert, my bf was very very very happy about the arrangement.
Excellent service, great food, and nice atmosphere. I would definitely return, but maybe not as a regular.
Great food. I tried so many new things. Great service. Interesting eclectic decor. Wonderful formula. I will definitely come back!
Great food, nice staff. My teenage daughters and I are from out of town. We walked into Zakkushi off the street with no expectations. We had a great time. Experimented with a lot of small plates over a leisurely Tuesday evening.
Great food; really friendly staff; had a great time.
Derricious?!:Friendly, lively, and authentic Japanese izakaya. Zakkushi is aJapanese izakaya, specializing in yakitori (i.e. grilled skewers.) It is the Toronto branch of the Vancouver-based local chain. Although the restaurant is located on a sleepy street in Cabbagetown, it is worth a detour to visit this lively, friendly, and authentic Japanese izakaya. Generally, the dishes were hot, quick, decent sized portions, and have lots of flavor. You can try a lot because the portions (and corresponding prices) are pretty good value. What we ordered: Takoyaki balls Meat skewer sampler (5 different choices of meat - a mix of chicken, beef, lamb, etc.) Pork Don (rice) [any order of their dons are good] Beef tataki Veggie sampler (3 dishes) yakitori eggplant Ice cream w/ mochi DEETS: Website: http://zakkushi.com/carlton/ Location: Cabbagetown Food: Japanese, Yakitori, Izakayak Ambience: Casual, Friendly, Lively Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.1 nom noms out of 5
Our server also snapped a picture of our group with a Polaroid and stuck it into a card for us all to sign as a gift to Jessica. That’s the sweetest and most thoughtful thing I’ve seen a restaurant do free of charge. I absolutely loved it.
Overall , we really like this restaurant. The atmosphere was lively. The servers were extremely helpful. They introduced all the skewers when they arrived our table. Also, I got some sauce on my white blouse and a server noticed and brought me soda water to clean it off. Much appreciated! We began our meal with nankotsu (deep fried chicken knee cartilage), Agedashi Tofu and Amaebi Karrage (deep fried sweet prawn w/
Zakkushi is another new Toronto restaurant with origins from the West coast specializing in yakitori (different meats/veggies skewers grilled on a Japanese Charcoal). We rounded up a group of people to visit, thus maximizing the number of dishes that could be sampled. Inside the restaurant, it felt very much like eating at a food stall or market in Japan. It was a great mood for beer and loud conversations.....
Overall Zakkushi fills the Yakitori void in the city, as well as offering oden, and some fantastic smelling udon we plan to try next time. A random detail worth noting is their impressively stocked washroom!
Similar to the Guu empire, Zakkushi is another establishment that originated in Vancouver and recently expanded to Toronto as a welcoming addition to the Japanese dining scene in the downtown core. Similar to other Izakaya, Zakkushi has a wide variety of small dishes to choose from, most of them are meant to be shared. Most notably, Zakkushi specializes charcoal grilled skewers, called yakitori, which are cooked over real Japanese white charcoal to give them a slight charr and smokey flavour. Compared to Guu Izakaya, the dining environment in Zakkushi is must calmer and not as rowdy. There three main types of yakitori Zakkushi has to offer: chicken, beef, and pork. For beef yakitori, my favourite ones are oropon beef , wasa beef , and gyu tongue . The oropon beef was grilled beef served with grated daikon and ponzu sauce. The sweetness of the daikon worked well with the citrusy ponzu sauce to bring out the natural flavour of the beef.
Simply fantastic Japanese charcoal style grill. They have a large charcoal grill selection full of delicacies. I would recommend trying as many items as you can from their grill menu, as everything is cooked to perfection and tastes delicious. The place is usually pretty busy and the staff are always scrambling and running around filling orders, but despite this the service is always on point. Without a doubt one my favourite Japanese restaurants in the city.
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The moment I scrolled past a Red Bean + Matcha Ice Cream Sandwich from Zakkushi on Instagram, I absolutely fell in love and longed to get down to this place for months! What better than to hop on down to the place with a mate that once lived and breathed the country a few years ago. Letting my mate do the choosing, the were amazing choices - making more than half of the dishes ones that I would absolutely recommend to every passerbyer. Zakkushi, in Cabbagetown, such a nice spot. The place was cozy, and great for a dinner for all sorts of occasions, read on as I fall in love with the place!
1. Hakkaisan Sake
The Hakkaisan was dry and crisp, great sake to have throughout these dishes!
2. Kawahagi
Dried File Fish w/Spicy Mayo
The Kawahagi had nice flavours with a side Spicy Mayo to dip.
3. Takowasabi
Octopus mixed w/Wasabi Stems
The Takowasabi was pretty awesome, the best I've had to date - it was so refreshing with fantastic bits of fresh Octopus, and a great combination of Wasabi Stems.
4. Hotaruika
Marinated fresh Baby Squid w/Soy Sauce
This was definitely something! A shot of me holding it up is in the next pic collage ☺. A fresh Baby Squid marinated lightly in Soy Sauce with what I believe was a small amount of mash.
Sake is always a must with Japanese food! It's usually the one thing that I look forward to most when Japanese dining. Kicking off the evening, I surprisingly fell in love with the Appetizers! Appetizers were also for are a jolly 3 for $5.80, which is no reason to only try one of these dishes.
5. Age Mochi
Deep Fried Sticky Rice w/ Sweet Soy Sauce
Oh boy, this Age Mochi was one of the best Japanese dishes I've ever had the pleasure in indulging in. It was perfectly crisp, soft, and the Sweet Soy Sauce was perfect. The Seaweed Strips are such a lovely touch as well. It felt like this dish went forever, a great portion to share!
My cutesty stretched-out Fresh Marinated Squid, 'Kotaruika'
6. Chicken Gizzard
I absolutely love Gizzards! Here they are on a stick, so plump and wonderfully lightly seasoned.
7. Wagyu Beef
Wagyu Beef Skewer with Oropon Sauce
The sooner you eat this, the better! Incredible how tender and nicely seasoned the Wagya Beef was.
8. Today's Yakitori: Deep Fried Chicken Skin
In Sea Salt (L) & Teriyaki Sauce
This was delicious, as addictive as popcorn! This Deep Fried Chicken Skin made me want to take ten more to go, to the cinemas to catch the next session and snack on. It tasted just like Pork Crackle, just with a thinner and bouncier bite.
9. Gobo Karaage
Deep Fried Burdock with Sansho Salt
Not as party-worthy and flavoursome as the other dishes, but it was definitely an interesting treat. The Gobo Karaage came in strings with a firm bite as well. The Lemon and Salt/Pepper definitely wasn't necessary.
10. Nankotsu
Deep Fried Chicken Cartilage w/ Mayonnaise
I actually officially fell in-love with Zakkushi after biting into these heaven-sent treats, Deep-fried Chicken Knee Cartilage. It was so good! The delicious bite-sized pieces would ooze with flavour after crunching into it's cartilage. So. Good.
11. Zakkushi Set
Momo (sauce), Umeshiso Yaki, Me Maki, P-toro & Oropon Beef
- Momo
Chicken Thigh
- Umeshiso Yaki
Chicken Thigh w/Sour Plum & Japanese Basil
- P-toro
Crunchy & Juicy Pork
- Me Maki
Garlic Stubs wrapped w/Pork
- Oropon Beef
With Grated Daikon & Ponzu Sauce
The individual skewers were so much better than this whole set - this doesn't even justify what Zakkushi has to offer! 4/5 of these lacked heavily in flavour - my favourite was solely the Umeshiso Yaki, and I didn't think much of this!
12. A squeal-worthy skewer disposal to the right!
13. Ankimo
Cold monkfish liver (Japanese Foie Gras style)
An interesting dish, but it wasn't as great as I expected, not much flavour going on.
14. Dorayaki Matcha Ice Cream
Matcha Ice Cream and Red Bean in Japanese Pancake
This Dorayaki Matcha Ice Cream Sandwich was the whole reason why I was excited for Zakkushi! It wasn't as fantastic as I imagined it to be, maybe a lot of more Red Bean would have been more exciting - the Matcha Green Tea was nice and subtle in flavour.
I had such a dandy time at this place, it was one of the best dining-experiences that I've had this year! The service was fantastic, I swear I received water (from another server) in five seconds after I asked for it. Such a swell time exploring dishes I've never had before, and, my first Japanese Grill experience. The ceilings are low, and makes the dining spaces feel fairly intimate. One of my favourite restaurants in Toronto by far.
Must eats:
- Takowasabi
- Age Mochi
- Wagyu Beef
- Deep-Fried Chicken Skin
- Nankotsu - Deep-Fried Chicken Cartilage
Most authentic-feeling izakaya in downtown that I've ever visited. Great atmosphere and service. A nice variety of food and dishes available at decent prices. Great selection of drinks as well. Recommend making a reservation well in advance on weekends, or expect long wait times.
Zakkushi never disappoints, whether it’s Vancouver on Denman, on Main, or Toronto on Queen west or here on Carlton. This location has a more traditional atmosphere, you can smell the charcoal smoke in the air, and it’s lovely. You don’t get the trademark menu to mark yourself, but that’s a minor detail. We went through a lot of options, appetizers, mains (organ meats and muscle) and cocktails. Due to the popularity of the location, the sake list has a few options missing but that happens. The very warm welcome and good bye stands out. The chefs are skilled and everything is served to perfection. I will add this location to my favorites & revisit often.
Food is perfectly grilled and the flavour is balanced.
Atmosphere is great for groups of friends.
Only 2 sakes are available, very limited for a izakaya and very disappointing for us.
Food quality is consistent.
Will come back again, just hope they have more sake selection.
Prompt service and friendly staff! Food and drinks were great!
The shiso cocktail (the green drink) was incredibly good, never had a cocktail that’s unique and this delicious!
It can be hard to decide what to get so the Zakkushi set can be a good way to explore and it’s good value. I tried a variety of chicken, beef and pork skewers, and they were all grilled perfectly. Two skewers that particularly stood out were the premium beef tongue and the quail eggs wrapped in pork. The Cassis Oolong cocktail was so refreshing and I really liked the blackcurrant flavor.
Food was delicious and atmosphere was lively!
Servers were friendly but we were rushed to leave when we were non-stop eating and drinking. I was told we can stay up to 2 hours when I made a reservation and I thought it’s also because their food takes some time (which is totally understandable for a busy restaurant like this). We were there for about 1 hour and still finishing the second round and a server came and told us it’s last call. We planned to order more but we left instead and went somewhere else. Again, I understand the restaurant is very busy that they need a table and I would definitely go back, but it will be nicer to have time to enjoy the experience more.
I went to Zakkushi with a couple of friends and was absolutely impressed by the fantastic service, beautiful presentation, and delicious food. We had a good variety of the menu and everything was just so very well done. From welcoming us in to ordering to presenting the food to sending us off with a greeting in Japanese, the entire experience was wonderful. The staff were very friendly and courteous. We had brought cake to celebrate a friend's birthday and the staff not only offered to keep it refrigerated, they also dimmed the lights when it came time to bring the cake out, lighted a candle for the cake, and also got the whole restaurant to sing happy birthday together!! It was a blast and I would highly recommend!
Good food and ambience. A little too enthusiastic (i.e. loud) staff made it hard to have a conversation, but we got used to it. Yakitori, karaage, bonito, and matcha ice cream all very good.
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