Although this place is quite squishy, the service at this place is exceptional. The only fault I'd have with it, is that the serving sizes could have been a bit bigger, given the prices.
We ordered:
1) Tuna and salmon sashimi, which was marinated perfectly- it was super delicious
2) Deep fried melt, which tasted a bit like sardines and was probably more like an appetiser than an actual meal
3) Garlic and butter squid- this was probably my least favourite dish because it was really hard to eat all the ingredients together, especially as we were sharing between us
4) Yaki ramen- can never say no thick udon noodles! I liked how the lightness of the toppings complemented the heaviness of the noodles.
5) Pork belly- super well done
6) Takoyaki- just like any other :)
We went at 5:30, and it was already pretty full (and we had a booking too), but apparently, the lines can get super long later into the night, so book before you come. Would 100% recommend this place! :)
Went here on our first day in Vancouver. Wanted some good izakaya and boy did this place deliver. :)
The taco Wasabi (octopus marinated in wasabi) was surprisingly good. Monkfish liver was nice, the barbeque lamb in honey sauce was absolutely delectable, we had to order it again. Also got cod-fish collar, Karaage with garlic mayo - perfectly juicy from inside and crisp from outside..Kimchi udon with cod roe was really good too.. not too strong a kimchi flavor and perfect amount of cod-roe. There was also sweet potato croquette.
We would certainly go here again. Liked the place.
This place gets really busy at night! I would recommend making reservations if they take them. The food here was super tasty! Portions are quite small. The takoyaki was the best I’ve ever had. My SO did get food poisoning from the seared beef as it was mostly raw. But other than that, the food was amazing!
Friendly service. Crowded even on weekdays. Quality of food were god sent!
Love the “horumon” intestine stir-fried. Will go back even just for this.
A pretty solid Izakaya place - a little more crowded than the other locations. The place is tucked around the corner from busy Robson Street.
Generally, their food is good, easy to share, and inexpensive.
Sometimes it can get a little bit loud/noisy with everyone shouting, and space is limited, but overall it is a pretty solid experience.
I never knew Guu Original had lunch menus! Tons of selection and my donburi came out in about 10 mins. The restaurant is pretty squished though, not recommended for groups larger than 4.
Yes. We,re Eating Again.
+4
I avoided the temptation to order the usual stuff that has been excellent in the past, and tried a couple of new things (new to me ). First up was Marinated Smoked Monk-fish Liver. It was spectacular. I am not an organ meat guy having grown up with regular mandatory meals of calf or pork liver but this was completely different. It was mild and wonderfully textured (almost foie gras) but the smoke and maybe citrus(?) sauce made it memorable. Not to be missed. Next I had the Pork, Tofu and Kimchee Hot Pot. In retrospect, not the perfect choice for a hot day but so good. I had to eat slowly so as not to sweat (not overly spicy just warm). The broth at the base was wonderful. Finally Grilled Pork Jowl with Yuzu Ponzu Sauce. I had to ask for this a couple of times (the place is so busy, I am not surprised that things go astray once in a while) but once it arrived it was great. Mildly bacon like in flavour with a perfect citrus and soy flavor. I sat across from the chefs and watched in fascination. Everything these guys prepared looked amazing. The racket in here is part of the fun. Everyone is boisterously welcomed and sent off and I wish I could have understood the banter from the chefs. I found myself laughing without knowing the jokes! Great all around experience. Make a reservation and keep in mind that it can be a little warmer if you sit across from the cooking facilities (totally worth it!). Service is attentive and they make their share of the noise!
Robson street is also home to the Original Guu, of which offers traditional Japanese-style pub, small plates & sake in a boisterous atmosphere. When you walk in the traditional Japanese greeting is almost shocking! Luckily I was prepared, so when I heard "Ohayō gozaimasu" I graciously, smiled and nodded. The Cherry Blossom Cocktail has been added to my list of staples at GUU. Any place with Ramune is my kind of place!
Guu Original is located on Thurlow Street at Vancouver Downtown. It is a very small restaurant, and it always has people waiting. You will receive a text message when your table is ready. This means you can continue your shopping at Robson Street. 👠👜👗💄
We like to order from their special menu because we never get disappointed. 👍
Services: 4.5/5
Food: 5/5
A small but generous Japanese joint serving unique tapas on a cool handwritten menu. Should probably make a booking so you don't need to line up down the street, it gets super busy!
Excellent Japanese restaurant! We found it looking for late dinner and we did the best choice! Service was really kind with us, top! Food was really good and price is reasonable. We will be 4 days in the city but probably we will come back! 100% recommendable!
Solid izakaya in downtown Vancouver, in keeping with the Guu brand.
I visited here at the end of December, and had a fairly decent experience. Unfortunately, the heat was not working that night, so much of restaurant was uncomfortably cold, even with multiple layers on.
The food itself was solid, although unfortunately a number of our food selections were sold out by the time we ordered. The food that we did get, however, was definitely very good.
Overall given the choice I would probably choose the Guu with Garlic location over this, but this location is certainly not a bad choice if you're in the area either.
Really packed space and always lots of customers. Good value for your money as it’s quite cheap and has good portion.
I feel like this restaurant gives me Asian street food kind of vibes, you know, the noise, the grease, the mess, the yummy food, the smoke from open kitchen; it was a good dining experience.
My 2 y/o daughter enjoyed it very much as the servers were very nice to her.
Fantastic place to eat, would definitely go back and highly recommend.
Food quality - Amazing
Service quality - Amazing
Presentation - Great
Restaurant cleanliness - Clean
Washroom - Yes, separate men’s and women’s washroom, kind of dirty.
Accessibility - No
Visiting from Montreal and wanted to try an authentic Japanese pub. This place was above and beyond my expectations. Sat at the bar and watched the friendly cook make excellent food all night. We tried the sashimi plate, the udon noodles with beef and the Korean fried chicken. All very fresh and tasty. The service was impeccable.
Great taste and food. Great staff that are taking care of your order and table. Pumpkin ball they have, was amazing and unique 👌🏻
I got an oil smell after leaving the restaurant which is almost common in open kitchen restaurants.
A little tight in a covid situation otherwise you will enjoy everything.
What a truly exceptional experience. There are a multitude of authentic dishes here, my favorite being the udon and beef tataki. I additionally enjoyed the taiyaki pancake dessert. All the inside is standard fare that may remind you of genuine Japanese diners, it was the service that made this it truly special experience. All the staff welcome and say bye as customers head in and out of Guu, which is unlike anything I've seen before.
Nice izakaya in the centre of the city. Service was friendly and fast and the food was good and cheap. Would definitely recommend the curry rice gratin I’ve never seen a dish like that anywhere else. Our mains were light on protein but we ordered lots so was all good. The fried takoyaki were awesome and tasted like something you’d grab on the street in Japan. The space is small so when the door opens it’ll make anyone sitting nearby chilly but that’s life in the winter, definitely still worth a visit! Grateful they let my friend and I catch up without rushing us. Thank you!!
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Vancouver
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes