Review Guu Original - Vancouver

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!!

Video review on youtube: vancity food crew guu original thurlow<br/>.<br/>I tried this place for a lunch special on the weekend. I ordered the Age-Tei, a trio of karaage, creamy croquette, and pork cutlet with soup, salad and rice. It was okay. Its a very standard meal, the chicken was my favourite part.<br/><br/>

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. <br/><br/>We ordered:<br/>1) Tuna and salmon sashimi, which was marinated perfectly- it was super delicious<br/>2) Deep fried melt, which tasted a bit like sardines and was probably more like an appetiser than an actual meal<br/>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<br/>4) Yaki ramen- can never say no thick udon noodles! I liked how the lightness of the toppings complemented the heaviness of the noodles. <br/>5) Pork belly- super well done<br/>6) Takoyaki- just like any other :)<br/><br/>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 for a light snack, ordered the okonimiyaki, and salmon with mayo,  overall it's decent, my friend loves it here for some reason i find this find of location is loved by females, that's what i find out, not sure why though. i find it okay, like the food is likable but the portion is not really friendly for a big eater for me :D so i prefer places where they'll serve bigger meals.<br/><br/>but food wise i think they have presented their food pretty good, the taste is definitely okay, and ambiance is a quite fun izakaya type, definitely not quite.

Went here on our first day in Vancouver. Wanted some good izakaya and boy did this place deliver. :) <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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! <br/>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.<br/><br/>Generally, their food is good, easy to share, and inexpensive. <br/><br/>Sometimes it can get a little bit loud/noisy with everyone shouting, and space is limited, but overall it is a pretty solid experience.<br/>

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.

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. 👠👜👗💄<br/><br/>We like to order from their special menu because we never get disappointed. 👍<br/><br/>Services: 4.5/5<br/>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!

First of all I recommend you either come very early or have reservations because of how small the restaurant is and how busy it gets. Second, if you're someone on a budget and wants to get filled up, this is not the place for you. Japanese tapas have very small servings and are a little bit pricey. I'd also recommend going in a group, that way you get to try many different foods while saving some money. <br/>Food wise, this place is pretty tasty. Lots of interesting flavours and items to choose from. The sea urchin wasn't my cup of tea but I loved the scallop sashimi and beef tongue! If you're a fan of salmon, definitely give the salmon tataki a whirl.

Atmosphere and food is great here. Sometimes it can get a bit loud when the chefs yell when someone enters or leaves the restaurant, but it somehow feels welcoming. This restaurant is always busy, so making a reservation would be a good idea. <br/><br/>Some of the things we tried were the jellyfish, sashimi salad, assorted oden, BBQ lamb, and kimchi udon. All the food came out quick! For the assorted oden, you get to choose 5 kinds, so we chose the puffed fish cake and the squid rolled with fish cake. This is great for a cold day. The puffed fish cake was very tender. Jellyfish was flavourful and not too salty. The lamb was cooked just right and was tender. There wasn't anything that I didn't like. I'd definitely come back to try more.

Sit at the bar and you will get the full-on experience of the constant enthusiastic greeting of the customers, server order responses while watching the food being prepared. Oh, and the food is fantastic both visually and taste-wise. An excellent experience. Be sure to book your spot....very busy.

Do yourself a favour and make it a must to eat here when in Vancouver. If not for the food...which happens to be awesome by the way...think melt in your mouth tuna tataki, luscious sashimi, crackly crispy squid and just-right-salty-miso salmon...<br/><br/>Then at least for the palpable happiness that you get when eating there. The service was quick and always with a smile and the chefs were always happy while making their dishes. I think that's what makes their food so delicious! <br/><br/>Tip: ask to be seated at the counter if possible. It's slightly noisier but more fun! Plus you get to see your food getting prepared and see what might be the next good dish you might want to order!

There’s one major problem with living in London: Japanese food is expensive. Even “cheap” Japanese food (I’m not just talking sushi like Vicky mentioned in her Dinings review). When I went to the soft launch for an Izakaya with Bella, she was floored at how expensive the food is as an Izakaya in Japan is what a pub is like here: A place to get cheap drinks and eats and hang out. They seem to want to upscale everything in London (or maybe it’s just the prices) so when we were sitting in the nice weather drinking fairly mediocre locally brewed Canadian beer overlooking the water in Vancouver and Teresa mentioned getting Japanese food, we were definitely on board. We did hit a bit of a snag in that there seemed there were too many places to get Japanese food in Vancouver. Too many places. And way too many of them didn’t take bookings. But we did find Kitanoya Guu and even though both Becky and Andrew said they didn’t really care for it when they went, we were too bitten by the Japanese bug to not give it a try. (I’m pretty sure we didn’t even have a booking, that’s how bitten we were, as everyone knows I don’t like to queue.)

Amazing food topped off with great service! Puts the other Guu Gardens to shame. I've tried quite a few dishes from the menu and have never been disappointed. The overall ambience of the restaurant is welcoming. It's always busy but totally worth the wait!

Food is pretty good, but their service could use some improvement.<br/><br/>I enjoyed their Shanghai Yakisoba. Quite tasty. <br/><br/>Sat at their shared table in the back because the tables out front were reserved.

Probably the best Guu out of all of them. They're constantly busy and with lineups at night. Their tapas are unique and delicious. Perfect for going with a small group to try out multiple dishes as they are meant more for sharing.

In our opinion, Guu Original is the best Guu restaurant. We've been here a few times and these are our favourite dishes:<br/><br/>Karaage, comes with mayo sauce and the pieces are big and juicy. Kimchi Udon, portion is a little small but it's delicious, the tobiko is a nice touch. Kabocha Croquette, pumpkin is delicious with the tangy sauce, the egg inside is a nice surprise. Salmon Yukke, so good! Raw salmon with a sesame oil and soy blend for sauce, also comes with a raw quail egg yolk and pine nuts. Accompanied by shrimp chips to eat the salmon with. Tuna Tataki, not bad but kind of small, the fried garlic pieces are scrumptious.<br/><br/> We have also tried the beef tataki, we found the slices to be a bit too thick, we prefer the tuna tataki. We also ordered the beef tendon which comes with fish cake, tofu and egg. This dish was very salty and the tendon was way too fatty. <br/><br/>Service is good and prices are reasonable.

Convenient location just on one of the side street on Robson. Very inviting atmosphere and attentive staff! Food was served hot, much better than the Richmond location. The yakiudon is a must get and paired with beer!

The place is damn busy and have to wait a while to get seated. Their tapas are quite unique. We ordered the beef tataki, tuna tataki, beef tongue, ebi mayo and grilled pork cheek. Overall we enjoy the food but the price is little pricy for small portion. The place is quite noisy and waiters and waitresses are yelling out orders to chefs in kitchen. Not that we are complaining but we just notice it's restaurant's style of placing orders.

I usually never get full from eating Guu for dinner and it's pricey but the lunch option here is very filling and well worth the $8. I had Katsu-Don. It was a great lunch.

Serving up yummy izakaya style dishes and authentic Japanese eats, the food at this places is flying off the shelves, you definitely need to come early to either get a table or the specials on their fresh sheet. Let me tell you though, our meal was definitely worth the wait. Some people may not enjoy sitting at the bar and would like a proper table but at this place, there is so much intricacies in the way the food is made, you might actually learn a few tricks.

Can't go wrong with Guu Original. Was my second house during my 3 year stay in Vancouver. Staff is super professional, caring and really eager to let you know they appreciate you being there! I had the honor to try some dishes of future menus to give my opinion. I appreciate that. I recommend grilled mackerel with an ice cold Sapporo... and the grilled ribs...

Always a classic, this restaurant has inspired a chain of other locations around the city. Fun atmosphere combined with delicious Japanese food makes this restaurant a must visit for anyone looking to explore Vancouver's food scene!

My friends and I went there during the summer. We phoned earlier tried to make a reservation, which been told they would not take reservation. Then later that night when we got there, two other groups of people showed up after we did and claim they had reservations and got the tables before us. Then we talked to the chief ( since no manager was there that night) about the situation and finally got our table. As for return, we got the menus after the later table got their food. And no water until we walked up to asked for the third time. I will not go there again simply for the horrible service we had receive that night.

Went to this restaurant on Wednesday evening, no line up, short 2 minute wait for them the set up the table, the restaurant was about 90% full, I ordered steamed mussels, salmon with prawn crackers, signature pumpkin crocket, baked black cod, egg plant, BBQ tuna, negi toro, and signature fried rice, the fried rice thee is the best and a must have, I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes tapa, style Japanese food.

The Guu location on Thurlow has marginal service, where two people who came later than me & my friend got a better table than us, and almost got a table before us if I hadn't spoken up.  Also, our first dish was almost cold & we had to send it back to get reheated!  For those who know the difference between beef tendon and beef tripe, if you order their tendon, make sure to ask if they've run out, or else they'll serve you the tripe!  The other dishes were good:  chicken leg, and pork spareribs.  Needless to say, I was disappointed.

This is my second Guu experience.  The first being Guu with Garlic.  I like the branding of this place - the ever-changing menu and the Guu'dale.  I also loved watching Jungle Wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu.  So Guu is something special to me :)<br/><br/>I think Guu is good (Or Guu'd) but it was over-hyped for me.  If people didn't tell me how awesome this place was and I just came in to enjoy myself and to find out its history, I would've enjoyed it more.  I found the food to be very creative and interesting, but sometimes it is done at a cost of quality and taste.  I still appreciate the effort because who would want to eat the same thing every visit, right?  <br/><br/>The Kabocha Croquette was interesting but it tasted just OK.  Maybe squash wasn't my thing because it was a little sweet and bland.  Maybe I just wanted the traditional korokke (croquette) with potatoes and corn.  <br/><br/>The Oden was a first for me.  I've had this from T&T before.  Bought it from the frozen section and cooked it myself.  It was full of MSG and salt.  The one I got here were much more natural tasting, which led me to think that they made it themselves.  If so, I'd be highly impressed because it'd be so much easier to import it frozen!  It was alright to me.  Something heart warming and light.<br/><br/>The chicken karaage and the guu'd ale really sealed it for me though.  If it weren't for these two things my night would've been ruined a bit... LOL.  I had 3-4 meals prior to this and I couldn't eat any more so that might've attributed to me "meh" factor.  Or I was just comparing it too much to my previous Hapa Izakaya meal where it blew my mind away too much.<br/><br/>One thing I do like to mention is that a lot of people around me were eating alone at the bar.  I'm so proud of Vancouverites or other travellers (such as myself) doing that.  Food tastes the freshest at the restaurant at the expense of looking weird or feeling awkward.  This is never really the case at Izakaya though it seems like and I appreciate the solitude.<br/><br/>Last but not last, the service was beyond awesome.  I loved how the servers (non-Japanese) spoke Japanese to each other and to the chefs.  What a great way to learn Japanese here!  They are very into their jobs and they do a great job of making the customers feel like home.

Always a good time at guu. Tasty eats and fun atmosphere. Great hang out place with a group of friends. Getting a few drinks and tapas can definitely add up though

Their lunch sets are really cheap ($8-9)!!! You might have to wait a bit but it's worth it :) I love the fried chicken with egg and onion on rice (their version of an oyako don).

Great Japanese food, and excellent service! Their menu varies during the day (different for each meal), and their prices are reasonable too!

I used to live right around the corner from Guu Original, and I have missed coming  here for quick lunches and fried rice takeouts. It is a bit of walk for me from my office, but their delicious lunch specials are so worth it!. Today I got their lunch special Negitoro Don, or Chopped Tuna Sashimi on Rice ($8.60), and it also came with a miso soup. I guess this is like having a giant Negitoro Roll but with less seaweed. I mixed up everything: tuna, green onion, seaweed, rice, soy sauce and wasabi – welcome to healthy delicious eating! It was very light, but the natural sweetness from the fish bound everything together. It was simple food at its best and I savored every single bite!

The atmosphere is great. The specials are great. The Yaki udon? Not so much. It might be me personally but it felt a bit too greasy. Of course, I understand, it's a izakaya type place. Of course the food is greasy and fat heavy. But I think if I am to come again, which I will, I might stick to the sashimi and the rest of the lighter version of the menu. <br/><br/>The ramune was awesome. They also offer a range of plum wine (? Not sure that's the correct words). I also enjoyed the pumpkin croquette and the kimchi hotpot a lot. <br/><br/>Come early, seats fill up quickly. Try to sit beside the bar since that's where you will truly feel the atmosphere

Always exciting to eat up front near the chefs. I've been coming here for nearly over a decade and it's always been consistent. Love the specials and love the service. Authentic or with a touch of West coast flair I gobble up every plate bone dry. God bless this place. Be warned, this place gets crazy busy during peak hours can line ups are long. Don't complain, cause your eating at one of the best places in Vancouver's food scene. You'll have a great experience. Just make sure your not shy to ask for anything.<br/><br/>Update: November 15 2016<br/>Went to try out their lunch and it's just as fantastic. Prices are reasonable for lunch and service is fast and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone.<br/>

My favourite izakaya in vancouver. I've been to guu several times and I have been raving about the place for decades. It really feels like japan once you enter the store and everything we order always tastes great. The only complaint I have is the fact that sometimes they forget your orders but because the food is so great, I always come back. I love their tuna tataki and kobocha croquette!

Unbeatable, best in Vancouver!. My very fav restaurant for lunch, they have real good deals from ~$7 till 2pm, one time I complained they served me late (after 45mins I ordered), they gave me a $25 voucher to compensate and the manager sincerely apologized, very impressed with the service, I go there very often for lunch and recommended many friends to visit as well. I miss the food!

Great menu and environment. I really enjoyed this restaurant. The staff and chefs are enthusiastic and passionate. I will be returning soon

Good but prefee guu izakaya in toronto. The food was pretty good at this location. Although the service wasn't as loud and energetic as my first guu in toronto. but the service was good.

Welcomed by the staff on arrival and we sat at the bar. Had beers, ordered 6 dishes to share. Fun to watch our food being prepared and see other plates. The staff worked hard and pumped out the food all the while interacting with each other and customers. The food was great. We will be back next time we are in town. Great start to our night.

Simple excellence!! Service atmosphere and food were all superb! Chefs and servers are loud and prompt and the kimchi soup and seared tuna will invite me back for another taste!! Great work to the staff at Guu! Thanx for a fantastic meal

Lunch specials most under $8 - big portions, good quality and most times quick service. Fills up fast during the 1140-140 time frame.

Tasty. Great atmosphere and happy staff. Food was delicious and came quick.

This place you won't see just walking down the street. The location is cool because you feel like you're at a rooftop party. The variety of food and quality is what makes this place what it is. If you think Japanese food is just about Teriyaki chicken you definitely need to go open your eyes and taste buds at Guu

Waited 35 minutes on Friday night. Worth it. A cultural experience. Spicy calamari done just right, ahi tuna steak and salted mackerel were excellent. Crowded, noisy, fun, and loved watching the chef. Did their best to accommodate gluten free wife.

Awesome food. I love this place. Food is always great. The only downside is that there is a long wait since there is only one chef.

The food here is so yummy! And I absolute love the atmosphere it's so fun and uplifting definitely a place to be if you're feeling down or just want to eat and enjoy!

Loved the salmon salad. Lov.... Loved the salmon salad.<br/>Loved the okonomiyaki.<br/>Loved the Pumpkin ball with egg centre and pumpkin skin chips on garnish.<br/>Loved the lotus chips.<br/>Loved the tuna tataki.<br/>Loved the beef udon. Beef was done a little bit too dry.<br/>Loved the taste of guu'ed chicken wings. They were however way too oily on the appearance.<br/>The only dish was disappointing was the grilled squid legs, just too chewy.

Great Izakaya and Very Fair Price. I first visited this izakaya when I was in high school. I recently went back and was delighted to find out that many things hadn't changed. Boiled egg in pumpkin tastes like heaven, amazing how simple ingredients can have a complex flavor to them. Wasabi octopus goes great with drinks. Their drinks are cheap but have too much ice in them, I might have just been too picky.

Carb-alicious!. Every now and then my friends and I will get together, stand in front for what feels like hours, just so we can order egg croquets and the yaki udon. <br/><br/>Its basically the best combination of carbs that you will ever eat in your life!

My number 1 favourite restaurant in Vancouver! I come here whenever I can. They have a very friendly atmosphere, great food, and good service. This place is so good and popular so it can have a looong waiting list during friday&saturday dinner time. This restaurant have a very friendly and LOUD atmosphere, so if ur looking for a quiet and intimate time...this is not the place for you.

Love it! Love all the Japanese tapa places. Authentic food and great hangout spot with friends. Servers are very polite and attentive and awesome!

Great food, but sharing a table sucks. Great food. Had the pan-seared tuna. Fantastic.<br/>However, had to share a table with four other diners we didn't know and they were not very pleasant. Need a bigger place for sure.

Geeeww!. My partner and I were looking for a reasonably fast meal to eat downtown before we attended a show at the Orpheum. We thought a Japanese restaurant would be a good choice. We have previously eaten a few times at ShuRaku on Granville, and thought is was okay, but wanted to try a different place this time. With its high rating on urbanspoon, we decided to try Guu on Thurlow. We were so disappointed! <br/><br/>For starters, it was extremely loud in there. It was apparent the moment we walked in, but since we were a bit short on time, we decided to stay, hoping the food would make up for the excessive noise. (You had to shout to be heard by your servers when he/she came to take your order, shout at your dining partner seated right next to you... I asked one of our servers if it's always very noisy there, and he said it was...) <br/><br/>On the plus side, I'll say that the staff was really friendly--maybe too friendly, with all of them shouting over all the very loud dining patrons to welcome and say goodbye to patrons entering and leaving the establishment. <br/><br/>Another plus--the staff was quick to take our order, bring our order, and refill our tea. <br/><br/>The food, however, did not make up for the bad acoustic ambiance. We ordered the Beef Tataki, the Tuna Tataki, the Karaage, and the spicy Calamari. I really didn't want to order sashimi type dishes, given that this was our first time trying this establishment, and I was really hoping to find an entree of some sort with rice, cooked meat, and veggies, but the only entree-like things I could find on the cartoonish menu seemed to feature pork cheek, pork belly, or beef tongue and didn't come with much for veggies, anyway. But, maybe we should have ordered those, afterall, since at least the meat would have been grilled... As it was, the noise was really getting to me, and we were short on time, so I just let my partner order the above four dishes for us. The Calamari, though a bit skimpy in quantity, was perhaps the best of the four dishes. The Karaage was nothing special--in fact, the quality of meat used seemed mediocre to subpar. But at least it was cooked! The beef and tuna tataki, while somewhat tasty, were only lightly seared, and both my partner and I seemed to pay the price for that the next day with stomach upset, digestive issues--I won't further describe... <br/><br/>While we only had to shell out about $30 for these four dishes, they were only appetizer-sized, so we left feeling unsatiated. Yes, we could have ordered more of these appetizer-sized dishes, but it quickly became apparent that this place was not our kind of place, and we really just wanted to dine and dash (and, in hindsight, we probably should have just dashed without dining).<br/><br/>Looking around, it seemed that this place is mostly popular with 20-somethings. If you don't mind shouting at the top of your lungs, if you don't mind drinking your tea out of a plastic cup, if you don't mind eating your food off a napkin (because it's tapas-styled...), if you don't mind a menu that is very heavy on the meat and super light on the veggies, if you don't mind subjecting your digestive tract to questionable substances and paying the price the next day, then this place is for you! Enjoy!<br/><br/>Obviously, we won't be back, though!

Yummy yummy yummy. It's a small cramped space but the food here is (I think) pretty authentic and definitely delicious. The price isn't shabby either and I will definitely come back. I love trying all of the different dishes!

What a great hidden gem Guu is. Seared Mackerel is mind blowing for lunch with their Guuuud beer. In the evening the meat sushi was spectacular, also with Guuuud beer. The atmosphere is great and energizing. They great you loudly when you walk in the door and say goodbye and thank you just as energetically when you leave. I recommend sitting at the kitchen bar to get the full experience at this location.

Masasan!. I love you masasan!!<br/>thank you all the time ;)

Awesome. I just love the restaurant's atmosphere so much - energetic and welcoming. The food was excellent, fantastic Chicken Karaage! People who works there are friendly and super nice. I would totally go back again. If you don't want to line up outside for hours, just go when they open (weekdays at 5:30 and weekends at 5 for diner). Certain menu were a bit oily, but aside from that, I would say it was well worth the wait!

Very good.... This place is small but the food is fabulous. i love crispy food so that is why i come here a lot. Here is my favorite from their restaurant. I love the crispy shrimps. The crispy shrimps are HUGE but very crunchy on the outside of it. I also like the soba. With seaweed it taste better. Always eat it with the seaweed! The washrooms there are clean. For each washroom, only one person can go in there. it is small but BEAUTIFUL. The people that work there are really nice. When you go into the restaurant, they will greet. I understand them a little because i speak a little japanese. They have many food for you to eat. The more you eat here, the more the place will be your favorite restaurant. Always try the new food that they have. Every single thing they have in their menu, you will like all of them. I recommend this place for japanese people. For western people, maybe you will like it. This place is mostly for japanese.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!. This place is so fab.<br/>i'm pretty sure it is original japanese food, which is hard to come by in vancouver, considering most of their japanese is "sushi".<br/>this place has the most fantastic hot plates! <br/>sashimi salad.<br/>that's all i will say.

Tasty. The Chicken Karaage is to die for! Short ribs were also nice. Beware to those who don't eat seafood - not many options. <br/><br/>The food is served in small proportions and its a bit pricy. And the interior of this location leaves a lot to be desired. <br/><br/>However, very friendly service.

Love.. So every time I go to downtown I look for an excuse to eat dinner here. It's insanely crowded pretty much every night so you gotta go super early :(<br/>Other than that, despite the overwhelming rush of customers, the service and food is always awesome! Especially..well, about 95% of the menu.

Snack Bar. I love Guu. <br/>The price may be slightly higher than an average dining experience, but for a good time in a pleasant raucous, this is a very nice place. It's a Japanese version of a loud pub, and the dishes are more than nice. Drinks are nothing short of great, and the entire meal feels delightful upon finishing. <br/><br/>Having said so many compliments, I must say that some of the dishes are not so well-made; there are Korean and Chinese knock-off foods occasionally. But still, avoid those, stick to great fusion Japanese food--albeit with enough mayonnaise to decorate your stomach walls--and your night will be made.<br/><br/>Typically for two people, expect $50 and upwards. Last time I went with three friends, the four of us got a bill of $160. The chicken and the beer were top notch, so nobody complained.

Love the vibe!. Great experience, with great service! I love how they have alot of authentic japanese items on their menu

It is.... A....monstrosity of the most believable proportions. Our party of seven waited for 30 mins, that was okay. But! In addition to the 30 mins, we waited a repeat of 30 mins for a duration of what seemed as a hopeless eternity. Countless moments passed as we felt like the world extinguished itself in every instant of our existence. We are no longer, we are but a fleeting memory in the breathless line up of death itself.

So guuuuud. I absolutely luv this rustic, traditional japanese tapas eatery. especially with it being the original guu of all guu's. as with all guu's, expect a wait before getting seated. a fave there are the bacon wrapped scallops on skewers. mmMMMmmmmmm.

Average. The experience and the ambiance are always great... the food is good too. Great to come with friends.

Delicious clam bowl! Great price for a yummy lunch.

Walking into an izakaya is always a great experience. This one is no different. Great atmosphere, great service (though the servers might not speak fluent English, but that doesn't hinder their service). Of course, we had to try Ramune cocktails and their Guuu'd Ale. For the cocktails, snow white and aloha mojito were among our favorites. The ale is on the more bitter side, but still a great drink. For food, we indulged in some beef tataki, tuna tataki and king salmon sashimi. All were nicely presented and tasted fresh. The Yaki udon definitely has enough flavor to it (the extra flavor that you can taste when enough "fire" is used). The okonomiyaki had a crunchy outside with a soft inside. Yums. Guu would be a great place to hang out, snack, and drink.

Good food and great atmosphere. Love the takoyaki and the yelling!!! would recommend to friends.

If you have to wait a few minutes please do, it is worth it. I ordered from the special menu. Sea urchin sashimi, shrimp sashimi (so delicate), fried maquerel and grilled calamari with a large bottle of Guu beer.....perfect exotic diner. Look around you and feel like in Japan.

Guu Express is Slow. Waited for 45 min to get served, lost my appetite for lunch !

THE original izakaya in Van!. Been around for years and never disappoints. Atmosphere is welcoming and the aromas from the kitchen make you want to order everything on the menu. Gone on several occassions and particularly liked the pumpkin croquette, noodles, braised cod and sashimi. Service is also friendly and most importantly, prices are cheap even though food is great quality!

Yummy and Greasy. I think it was kind of expensive. Yummy and very greasy! can't go there more than 1/ year!

Didn't live up to the hype. Tried a couple of times to get through the doors for dinner this fortnight but gt turned off by the throng assembled outside. Came back for lunch today and had more luck. Don't know why I bothered because seriously who lines up for this crap? I had the deep-fried assorted (chicken Kara-age, pork loin, some sort of creamy croquette) and it was, meh, at best. What's the fuss about? It's cheap, but if that's the only redeeming factor, I'd rather just eat at home.

The Gin Dara is to die for! I have never tasted such amazing fish! Nice and sweet.

Guu for Lunch. Although I have been to Guu many times for dinner, today was the first time I went for lunch. To be honest, I didn't know Guu was even open before 5pm until my friend told me earlier this week.<br/><br/>Anyway, if you have been to any of the other Guu's in Vancouver or any authentic izakaya for that matter, you pretty much know what to expect. I will say though that I was very surprised by how empty the place was when I was eating. I walked into Guu around 11:35am today and was literally the only person in the place. A couple of business people drifted in later but yeah, even when i left around noon there was only around 4 people eating.<br/><br/>To anyone thinking of hitting up this Guu for lunch, just note that the lunch menu is significantly smaller than the normal dinner menu. A lot of the fan fav dishes are not available until the place switches to dinner service BUT the lunch options are still cheap and yummy. I ordered the Chicken Karaage lunch bowl and it only set me back around $7.<br/><br/>Lastly, I just wanted to say a quick word about the 'yelling' from the staff as I've read quite a few 'complaints' about it here on Yelp. Guu is an authentic Japanese Izakaya with a set of traditional social customs. One of them is greeting/welcoming customers, thanking them and wishing them well as they leave. Now I will admit, the greetings can sometimes get a little loud but, I actually like it. It sure beats going to most western restaurants here in Vancouver and getting totally ignored the entire time heh. Just my two cents!<br/><br/>www.alvinkclee.com

Good food Good Service. I love the food and service there. The environment is great and staff are friendly. Most importantly, the food there are rare and won't be able to find a similar taste Izakaya in Downtown.

Yummy. The best restaurant everrrrrrrrrrrrr

I WANT MORE!. Visited friends and family in Vancouver. Went here for lunch after a long walk around downtown Van City. Way better japanese food compared to Edmonton. But being in Edmonton for a long time I thought Japanese food there was good untill i tried Guu. I would love to go here again if i was ever in Vancouver again. Love it!

Racist. My partner and I loved the food and atmosphere at Guu on our first visit and wanted to leave a reservation for the following night. We were told that Guu didn't take reservations and we would have to wait in line to get in. When we went to Guu the following night there were three reserved tables, when we asked why we couldn't reserve the manager just shrugged his shoulders and said sorry. The feeling we got was "sorry" you're white.

That meal was a party. What a rocking little place. I just picked items off the specials. The place was cramped and rocking. I loved it but it might not be for everyone.

A MUST to try while in Vancouver. It was the most wonderful evening of sensual pleasures -- smells, sights, sounds, tastes (out of this world) -- an experience par excellence!

The food was soooo GOOD!!!. The service was excellent, but the food came a bit slow...

Fresh oysters at $1.25 per shell, better quality than restaurants selling them at more than double the price. Everything else was fantastic too. About as good as it gets for Izakaya. Two of us were had a couple rounds of sake and all the food we could eat and still came out under $60 bucks.

Great place!. Guu rocks! The food is delicious (the smoky flavour in their fried udon is so addictive!) and getting drunk at this place is very easy when you're with friends...<br/>I have a low threshold for noise tolerance, but for some reason at Guu...I like it, I feel like I'm somewhere else - it always feels a bit weird when I step out of the restaurant.<br/>Will be going back soon! Happy eating!

Guu Guu Kachoo. Throw darts, roll dice, actually know the menu and order what you want - it doesn't really matter. The food is going to be excellent. The atmosphere is going to be cramped, festive, and fun. <br/><br/>Yes, you are going to have to wait. Get over it already. Some things are worth the wait. Once you get seated, and the yummy tidbits of food start rolling in, you will forget about the wait.<br/><br/>Just a few favorties:<br/>Taiko Wasabi (a little eight tentacled yumminess)<br/>Hotato Butter (yeah scallops)<br/>Ebi Mayo (Throw another shrimp in the fryer - mate)<br/>Karubi (Some Guu Guu Moo Moo)

A must go place for visitors~. I would say, if any of my friends are visitng us from other countries, Guu is the place i'd take them to. Just make sure to arrive early or a bit late to beat the rush. You'll have to ask the server to put your name on the wait list. It is always very noisy there becuase the chef and the servers would greet every customer. Is kinda fun to watch but after a while you get annoyed :) I respect it becuase it is "Guu" culture and we don't see it here often in Canada. The food quality there is consistant. There is the standard menu as well as the menu of the month/week??. Which makes me think that they have put some thoughts into their dishes. I go there once in a while just to try out thier new dishes and this is how they keep their customer returning and the business rolling! <br/>My favourite dish there is salmon cappaccio but I am not a big fan of their deep fried dishes....

One of the best in Japanese tapas in Vancouver. A favourite I usually take out-of-town guests to try out. Loud, cramped, but with creative and tasty dishes, Guu really is that good! <br/><br/>Favourites are: yaki udon noodles, ebi mayo shrimp, pumpkin croquette, kimchi rice

Good food but about the same as other branches. Although the food was above average among the japanese food in Vancouver, I wasn't really impressed by their food. Their gyutan (beef tongue) were like cardboard and were really difficult to bite. Other food such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki, beef sashimi were about the same as other branches. But I was impressed by Snow White, one of their drinks. It's basically Soho mixed with lemonade and ramune. However, since food quality was a bit lower than Guu with Garlic, I would just go back to that store for the next I want some Guu'd food...

Love!. Last time my friend and i went to Guu for dinner. i have to say, it was a reaaaaally nice dinner! even my friend who doesn't love japanese cuisine, enjoyed so much.<br/>my favourite dishes are pumpkin balls, takoyaki and ebi furai.<br/>the sauce of pumpkin ball is perfect!!^0^<br/>i even call the waitress to give me some more>_

This is my first time to Guu! I loved it...I haven't been to a Japanese Tapas restaurant before but everything looks delicious. I am doing the Yakitori (Chicken Bowl) this time. Dying to try the Sanma which is fried mackerel...looks Yummi! Very authentic Japanese feeling but that's what I like about it. Prices are under $10 for pretty much any plate here. This looks like my new favorite place for lunch.

Yum!. Been going there for years and still loving it! They got a pretty awesome lunch menu too.

YUM!. I've been to all the Guu restaurants and this is definitely my favourite location. Lunch and dinner are very different experiences and I don't I'll be back too often for lunch. Dinner menu offers way more interesting dishes and the staff and dinner crowd add so much to atmosphere. Great place for a night out to go for drinks and dinner with friends.

Deep fried guudness. Tasty, great prices, quick service, good energy. Vegetarians go elsewhere, though.

The reason... I go to downtown sometimes for the fine & unique Japanese dish here. There should be more REAL Japanese restaurant like Guu in lower mainland, no more just sushi bar.