Review Guu With Garlic - Vancouver

So, we came to GUU WITH GARLIC on a Thursday night at around 9pm. The restaurant was busy but, luckily there wasn’t a line up to get in. Before we talk about the food, let’s get one thing out of the way: the service was ridiculously erratic! The young lady who welcomed us and brought us to the table seemed to be the only one actually paying attention. We asked for water first, which took about 20 minutes to get to the table. Then, we order drinks, which took about the same amount of time. Later, the same thing happened when we wanted to order appetizers so, we just decided to order everything we wanted, which, ended up all being served at the same time. All other servers were just walking up and down without looking around at the tables. We were sitting in a corner so, it was hard for us to signal anybody. Anyways, once the food started to arrive, it was delicious. So, to an extent, it was worth it! We ordered a bunch of dishes until our waitress (that young lady) actually told us that our order should be sufficient; which it was. Portions weren’t particularly huge but, a few choices were more than enough for two adults. Everything was fresh and well presented so, we enjoyed our dinner after all.

This place is really cute, it serves traditional Japanese eatery vibes which makes you feel like you are in Japan. They also have daily menu in which you can pick from fresh selection of Sashimi and hot food. Not to mention, the service is incredible. The food taste nice, a lil too expensive to me.

Not a japanese food expert so take this review with a grain of salt. Came here on a Friday evening. Place was somewhat crowded. We tried several items and all of them were good. Great service! They patiently explained all the dishes and even gave some good recommendations. We sat at the end of the bar somewhat secluded and could see the entire kitchen from our seats. It was great watching folks work at breakneck pace yet make those meticulous actions. Staff all speak Japanese to each other in the stereotypical sing song way and while I don't know what exactly they were saying, seemed like positive messages every few minutes. Food was fresh and delicious. Had a cold wasabi & octopus dip with sea weed wafers and the dip was very fresh and somewhat intense (which I loved as a palette cleanser) Also had their fried chicken with dip, small Japanese hotpot, scallops pizza, and beef in sauce. The portions are small so you can try multiple dishes. Overall, good

Nice izakaya with a warm atmosphere! Delicious food - simple and very well cooked. Enough choice to please everyone. Prices are correct. A very nice time with friends!!

Expensive, but very good! Excellent spot with unique offerings as the menu is always changing. I highly recommend trying the melon float with saki ice cream, though ask if they can make it without ice since the ice cream keeps it cold enough.

This place is an absolute hidden gem in Vancouver!!! Their sashimi lunch special is so beyond worth it, it’s a mustttt when in Downtown Vancouver 😽 🍽 Ordered: 1. Sashimi lunch combo ft. yellowtail, albacore, wild caught salmon, mackerel, scallop, & poke 2. Chicken kaarage w/ garlic mayo The sashimi was super fresh and the restaurant was rly generous with the slices! I love thick slices of fish & each of the ones were amazing*_* The mackerel here was one of my favorites which is surprising considering I typically don’t like it. 💰Price: $19 CAD for sashimi/$11 CAD for chicken The price is beyond reasonable and such a steal for ALL the fresh fish that comes with the combo. It’s still insane to me that the sashimi was only $15 USD!! Searching up how to obtain Canadian citizenship now 👀

Food presentation and service are great! However, food taste does not meet the high expectations from all the reviews. We ordered 5 dishes, none of the small dishes really stood out and made me want to go back just to order them again. Specialty drink tastes very watered down. I don’t hate the place, but would not go back for the price we paid for.

I've heard so much about Guu and I was finally able to try it! Although I'm giving a 3/5, I still love Guu. The day we were at Guu seemed to be rly busy. It was already 9pm and the place was packed. But the store looked organized and quite calm. I was excited to bring my family here. My parents never tried izayaka. When we ordered, we didn't really get much attention because we were seated at the outdoor area. We were very excited (and hungry hehe). I love the authentic Japanese interior design. Even the washroom has traditional murals with a "garlic" twist 🤣 But we were a bit let down when the waitress gave us kimchi udon when we ordered yaki udon. We were really sad when we waited for 30 minutes, but people who came later than us got their food first. To make things worse, one of our dishes never arrived. By this time, mosquitoes were biting us. We were going to order more, but ended up leaving hungry. That said, I heard too many good things about Guu, and want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I hope the next time we come here will be much better, and that our 3/5 experience will be a 5/5 experience.

Great food, open late, busy place, good service, boisterous & fun atmosphere. If you are looking for a quiet dinner, this is not the place for you. Food tend to be small portion but it is the quality of taste... everything we ordered was good, we ordered beef tongue with garlic- the sauce was so good, my husband & son enjoyed the beef tongue very much. We ordered the deep fried squid & chicken namban-almost like chicken karage. Both were good, squid came with spicy mayo. Chicken came with a pink looking tartar sauce. The deep fried chicken was so flavourful, you don’t need the dipping sauce at all. Oden was good, does not come with rice, it will be $2 a bowl, yaki-udon with beef & mushrooms, not slot of beef but the flavour of the udon was very good. Had the spicy tuna poke bowl, the tuna definitely has a kick to it. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal!

This place is lovely! I honestly don't remember much about the food- I just remember that I ended up here on Halloween with my ex and we had a great time. Everyone was dressed up, including the kitchen staff, and there were decorations everywhere! I loved the spirit in the restaurant that night. Just that I'm itself is enough for me to guarantee that I'll be back in the future ♥

First meal we ever had in Vancouver was at Guu Original Thurlow and we loved it. Since guu with garlic has much better and more reviews we were looking forward to coming here. Sadly we were highly disappointed. We ordered Scallop mayo pizza, mochi, shrimp gratin, saba, Salmon garlic yaki and potato-mochi. <br/><br/>Everything was just ok and nothing really blew our minds. Nothing tasted exceptional. Scallop mayo pizza was the best among all the dishes but still not something we will order again. Not coming back again.

To start off, the restaurant can get pretty busy so reservations would be recommended.<br/><br/>Like many Japanese Izakayas, Guu with Garlic caters a great vibe, and dishes are best accompanied with a drink. <br/><br/>Prices are okay especially considering the location but the taste of their tapas are a bit on the lighter side compared to its competitors.

The wait time for Friday night at 10pm was about 45 minutes. I completely understand why they are so busy - the food is amazing! My favourites are the yaki udon, Kim chi udon, scallop pizza, and chicken karage. Definitely worth the wait!

Japanese tapas at its best. Beef tongue, beef yaki udon, pork belly, salmon carpaccio are the must-order items. Have beer or sake to complement the tastiness of the food, your stomach will thank you.

Prepare yourself for some sick eats. The cow sacrificed for our beef tataki and beef tongue was well worthy. The oden had a deliciously light broth that brought on memories of the land of rising sun. Every bite of the sukiyaki with Udon was packed with flavour that you'll want to savour and the stewed pork was tender like a mother's love for her new born.<br/><br/>Do yourself favour and guu here asap.

Holy, the food here is so good!!! My favourites are the scallop mayo pizza and the una-meshi. The service is very prompt and courteous. Staff are very pleasant and lively. Felt like an authentic Japanese experience.

Really good and nice portions ! It was always perfect. One of my favorite Indian. A lot of choice in the vegetarian dishes. I would recommend it for sure.

It was my first time eating at this particular Guu. Overall, it was quite enjoyable. The menu was easy to read, witn both staples and specials. Service was good as the servers were friendly and helpful. Add to the food, I was most impressed by the octopus carpaccio. Other than that, everything else was nothing special. It tasted good but I wasn't wowed by anything. It was also a rather pricey meal. Contemplating if we would return...

I am absolutely obsessed with their Mashed Pumpkin (Kabocha) Croquette. I personally think if the egg wrapped inside the Croquette were soft boiled instead of hard boiled it would take the Croquette to yet another level (imagining the golden yolk mixed with the rest of the croquette). Other recommended dishes include Beef Tongue, Oden, Ebi Mayo, and the Green Tea Plum Wine (not sure if it's always available). Service is friendly and casual, definitely an excellent dining experience!

OMG THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!<br/>I loved the food and the servers were so attentive. It has a really nice vibe in the restaurant. However getting seats was difficult and we had to reserve a spot way ahead of time. I tried almost all of the dishes on the menu and I have to say, they all tasted equally good. My favourites were the takoyaki and scallop pizza.

Lunch: Very friendly, attentive and passionate family style ran restaurant. I was actually hoping to do Izakaya, but their lunch menu was pretty good too and very affordable. The tuna tataki and yokotaki to start were easily the highlights. The tataki was the best I think I've had. The sliced pork lunch was much better than it looked. The meat was marinated in an amazing ginger soy sauce. I don't think they needed rice as well.

Sometimes you go to a restaurant because it’s your favorite place, and every time you’re in the area, you MUST go there, because it is AMAZING. Now if you have to drive over 180 miles to get there, do you go to the same place twice in a weekend, or do you take your chances on some place new that might become your next new favorite place? Kingyo in Vancouver is definitely a favorite, and The Daring Ronin and I did have to think long and hard about whether or not we wanted to have the invincible dan dan noodles again so soon with the taste still so fresh in our minds (one must savor the memory of the flavor!), but in the end, we opted to try something new: Guu Garlic Izakaya on the north end of Robson, not the original one on Thurlow, but their second shop in the downtown area.

This place offers an amazing dining experience. As you walk in, the staff would all shout to greet you in Japanese, when you order, they would also all shout your orders together and as you leave, they make sure you have their thanks. The food is cooked right in front of you and is absolutely delicious!

One of the five branches of Guu Restaurants, and the best location in my opinion. Every Guu location has a slightly different menu and offers a number of signature dishes. I recommend the fresh sheets of the day, chicken karaage, tuna/salmon yukke, beef carpaccio, yakiudon, etc. Guu is Guud!

Must try their signature deep fried pumpkin inside with an egg. Also, their sashimi are very fresh, amberjack, salmon and uni. I love their baked giant scallop on shell with cheese, ebi mayo and beef tongue. I am very satisfied！

Everything was pretty decent except for the bland tasting marinated tuna. It was just sesame oil mixed with tuna. They should have added other sauce to enhance the flavour. My favourite is still the almond tofu dessert. Sometimes I come here just for that. Unfortunately we were asked to leave after two hours and the restaurant wasn't busy or closing. Great late night snack option if your are in the area while it doesn't break your bank.

This is one of my favorite izakayas in Vancouver.  Although the place is small, it definitely adds to the atmosphere.  Be ready to show up early as it does get extremely busy!  The food is great and always consistent.  I love the fact that they have periodic specials.

Guu is an interesting place. i would say the servers there are very fun and I've gotten to even know a few of them at this location. Weekend nights, long waits if you don't know someone there. If you do know someone there, the line can be shorten to taking you in for the next table otherwise, have fun waiting at least 30 minutes. Of course waits aren't as crazy on weekdays. <br/><br/>Vibe: like all izakayas they all greet you with their Japanese greetings, I would say this is fun for tourists. <br/><br/>Birthday? : If its your birthday, the entire team at Guu will sing for you which is pretty entertaining.<br/><br/>Food: The food selection is a lot more than kingyo and Hapa I would have to say. The food is only average since I've been there for a bit too many times, I can't say its my favorite japanese food place. Zakkushi will have to come first for me followed by Gyu-Kaku. <br/><br/>Price: ~$20-$30 per person<br/><br/>Drinks: definitely on the pricier side for beer, a pitcher of Asahi is $21 there and Sapporo is $18... which you can get at other Japanese restaurants for less than $16 sometimes even $11 if you know where to go ;) <br/><br/>Parking: is quite terrible around Robson in general, I always have to park on Alberni... best to bus or even walk it. <br/><br/>Overall, its a good place to chill, decent food! <br/><br/>If you are a tourist then its a must try, locals, I think a few times is okay but probably not a favorite of mine for sure.

Favourite spot in Van. This time we noticed they changed the menu slightly from what's posted here. <br/><br/>Ordered the Hotate (scallops), Kakuni (pork belly & egg), Takoyaki (squid), Taki Udon (pan fried noodles), and Almond Tofu for dessert. <br/><br/>Everything was delicious although I would probably skip the udon unless you need some starch to fill you. <br/>The Takoyaki isn't the best I've had but it had much worse. <br/><br/>The almond tofu is amazing and they weren't wrong in advertising the smoothness. <br/><br/>The scallops is a must order. <br/><br/>The pork belly is an all time favourite although it used to come with a small steam bun (bao) to soak up the sauce. I was sad that it didn't come with this time. <br/><br/>The service was good. We sat in the patio so the wait too wasn't long. It's generally a bit more quiet outdoors. Inside it's much more lively which gives you the Japanese izakaya feel. Good place for a group gathering of no more than 6 (6 is pushing it). This place isn't big but can still fit a decent group size.

Excellent and diverse Japanese Tapas.<br/>There are too many favorite dishes to list.<br/>Affordable pricing, great ambiance and is best to seat at the bar.

It's not as garlicky as I would have liked it but I think I just set the wrong expectation in my head.  As well, I was hoping for the more grittier izakaya food like skewers and takoyaki and the more traditional dishes, but instead I was welcomed by a more modern / fusion taste.  I had to suddenly change my expectations 180 degrees while I was seated out in the very tight and cozy balcony where the waitress would bump into me every time she moved in and out of that narrow corridor.  I shouldn't complain much because if it wasn't for that fateful reservation I'd be waiting outside for an hour or so.  The menu isn't overwhelmingly big but it isn't small enough to make you feel sour.  If there is one thing memorable about the whole experience is that the price per dish was only about $5-6 average, which was insanely cheap given the quality and portion of food that you get.  I really don't understand how they survive on that, but maybe it is the sheer volume that makes the profit.  What a hard-working bunch.  If you are nearby the area, swing by if there is no line-up, otherwise I'm not sure if I'm hell bent on making a reservation to come here.  It's just OK.

The Guu with Garlic Restaurant is situated on the corner of Robson and Bidwell Street. It is a busy restaurant especially on Fridays. If you are walking along Robson Street , you’ll notice people outside waiting for their turn to get in, that is Guu. It doesn’t matter how long the wait is. It’s about getting the experience and knowing Japanese culture. The servers yell the word “Irashaimase” which means “Welcome to this place!”.

PROS<br/>+ Unique dishes<br/>+ Great selection of tapa style dishes that go well with beer and sake<br/>+ Friendly staff<br/>+ Fresh sashimi<br/>+ Love their garlic chips<br/><br/>CONS<br/>- Friendly staff yet too loud (LOL)<br/>- Uncomfortable chairs making me hard to stay any longer

Lunch service was a bit rushed and sub par for me, though I would still like to give it another shot if there are no other places around in the area.

I stopped by Guu on a Tuesday night around 11:30pm and keep in mind they close at 12:30am. <br/><br/>As my girlfriend and I walked in we were greated politely and asked if it was just the two of us and we said yes. Then the nightmare began.... <br/><br/>The waitress pointed to the bar seat at the end of the hall between the enclosed area at the front of the store and told us to sit there. As I looked at the spot there was prob 5-6 people siting along the row of bar seats and the seats left were TINY!!! I glanced over to the dining room and saw 2 open tables. We asked if we could sit at the table instead and the waitress completely ignored our request and told us to sit at the bar. We stood shocked for a few seconds and asked again. Then she said the table is for 4ppl and it was clearly a table for 2 because another party of 2 were sitting at a table of the same size and at this time they just finished their food and was on their way out. So with three open table they asked me, a 6ft 250lb guy, and my girlfriend to squeeze into the small space prob knocking everybody's head on my way in. As we were speechless... We asked for the mananger and the waitress did not even understand what a mananger was... At this point we went from hungry to completely full of anger.<br/><br/>We use to love going to Guu in Vancouver and also Toronto. We have probably visited all of Guu's location in Canada and it has been like a year or so since we last went but tonight's experience will definitely turn us away from ALL of Guu's establishments!!!!!! Our hard earned money is better spent else where that values our business

March 27, 2015 · by ThatShanghaiGirl · A busting Japanese izakaya, I was there on a Friday night and I had to wait for 30 minutes so I would recommend making a reservation beforehand. Other than that I had a pretty good experience, we were seated in the traditional Japanese dining area where you take your shoes off it was a cool experience but it was uncomfortable. Service and decor is nice

Guu. You know all about their izakaya empire, both in Vancouver and Toronto. Last time I was in Van, I went to the original location and was mightily impressed. This time, we decided to check out their second location, Guu with Garlic. You know it’s guu for you. It better be guu. I could guu on. Hahaha. We went on a windy Monday night with plans to originally drop into Santouka. Unfortunately, they were temporarily closed due to a fire so weren’t even able to visit during our trip. Oh well, we literally walked two seconds further and spotted the bright, eye-catching Guu with Garlic sign. Lucky for us, there was no line but it was busy.

Great tapas offerings and a very authentic Japanese experience all throughout!

This is a such a great izakaya place located in the heart of downtown ! Of all the Guu establishments, this one is my absolute favorite for its friendly servers and the overall good-vibes atmosphere. The cherry on top of the cake just happens to be the delicious appetizer sized dishes that is always ready to be amongst friends or what not. This one is a must visit !

Fun and tasty. Went to Guu Garlic on Monday, 30 March 2015 with my wife and a couple friends.<br/><br/>Had a good sampling of dishes across the board. All were nicely seasoned. I'd never had izakaya before, so this was a new experience for me. The atmosphere was great, and we all loved hearing them shout the orders to the kitchen in a chorus. I won't go into my usual detail, but suffice it to say I would return in a heartbeat. My biggest complaint is that some of the prices are a little high for what you get, even if it is on Robson. Well worth the trip.

A busting Japanese izakaya, I was there on a Friday night and I had to wait for 30 minutes so I would recommend making a reservation beforehand. Other than that I had a pretty good experience, we were seated in the traditional Japanese dining area where you take your shoes off it was a cool experience but it was uncomfortable. Service and decor is nice but my friend did tell me something disturbing, apparently the chef touched out waitresses butt while walking by awkward……

Small place but tasty food. The place is really small. My friend and I were lucky enough to be able to get a seat before it got really busy. The food was really good. I'm not too fond of the fried cheese, but my friend really enjoyed it. My only problem with this place is that it's a little cramped.

Bad service. One of the waitress didn't pay attention and very impolite, and the restaurant was too noise. I will never come back again.

Overhyped. Was expecting so much more from this restaurant considering I enjoy visiting guu back in toronto. service wasn't that great. waitress gave us towels that smelt like a wet rag. super spicy chicken which was a special dish was NO JOKE super spicy. couldn't even finish half of it. didn't really like the special items at the time of my visit, besides the sashimi. If I was to come back to vancouver, I'll probably give it another try. Overall though, didn't have a good experience.

Been coming here for many years and the place is always great, loud and just a good Izakaya. Menu is slimming down a little but lots of good choices although I miss the selection of skewers. Always a good choice!

Disappointed =(. I used to go once or twice a month. However, the choice of daily special is getting less. While, there's more alcohol choices.....

Salty and greasy. I have been going to this place for past few years and noticed their food is not good as before. It's very salty and greasy. Not a healthy choice.

Terrible Rude Service. Took over 20 minutes to get an order placed. Then another 30 mins for the food to come.<br/>They messed up 2 of the nigiri orders we placed receiving something completely different, and the waitress muttered in Japanese, "they don't even know what they ordered, so stupid", thinking we wouldn't understand her.<br/>After my Japanese speaking friend confronted her, she just scoffed about it and walked off.<br/>Poor, poor service, with mediocre food. Really hit or miss due to different management styles throughout the Guu Chain.

Lots to try and all pretty good!. Tried almost all dishes - regular and special...you can order anything and won't be disappointed! Price is very reasonable and services are awesome! Love it~!

User reviews. This place is absolutely phenomenal! check out my full review here: http://thedipnchip.weebly.com/1/post/2014/03/guu-is-guud-for-you.html

Good value for Japanese food. That's good Japanese curry and for under $10 it's absolutely great value for a thick, hearty, flavourful curry. The tender pork katsu was slathered in a plateful of beef curry full of chunks of ground beef. Very filling and satisfying.<br/><br/>The menu is the basic Japanese izakaya cuisine. Great bowl food that goes well with alcohol. The okonomi-yaka is four small pieces of a soft battered pancake with bits of squid and cabbage. Filling, but I could have used bigger pieces of seafood in it. The Takoyaki was also a nice soft battered ball with a chunk of octopus in the middle. Both these dishes had a nice sharp sweet Japanese sauce.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is really friendly upon walking in. A small restaurant all the staff give a loud greeting as you enter and the service is pretty attentive and prompt. We got our food within a few minutes.<br/><br/>Quite a nice establishment on Robson, I'd hit any of the Guu restaurants for delicious Japanese bowls at a reasonable price.

Fun place! Loud with great music. Service was too slow. Only go if you have 90 minutes for a quick bite

Good times. A regular spot for me and my friends when we want some tasty snacks like beef tataki and salmon carpaccio and awesome drinks. Atmosphere can't be beat!!!! Not the best place if you're hungry...because can get expensive but great for hanging out.

No Assets. Have tried a few different Jap restos over the years and every single time, I get the same lame experience.<br/>I don't know why I bother with these restaurant anymore, it's unfortunate that most people who don't know what good service is, and don't realize there's more to the hospitality industry than food. Get some service maybe sexy girls actually then this place will be decent.<br/>Once again ...<br/>Just me and the lady friend, now i've had crappy service and issues before .. but this was a in spot and my lady friend was curious, I tried to convince her otherwise but she likes to see these places ...<br/>very disappointed

Great with friends!. If you're trying this restaurant, make sure you bring at least 2 more people with you, it's the only way to truly appreciate the diverse menu this place has to offer. And order the grilled squid! So delicious.

Hmm Garlic. Was surprised how good the flavours turned out. The Richmond location at Aberdeen did not pan out well for us. Will come back and fight for parking another day.

This was my husband's and my fave restaurant, but we haven't been here in a year since we move farther away from vancouver. We kinda miss this place so we came for lunch. Sadly, the taste was not as good as we remember it. We order ebi mayo, the chicken lunch special and deep fried black cod lunch combo. They all taste the same, all accompanied with mayo. Even the chicken karaage was smothered in the same sauce. It was too heavy and we feel the chef or whoever made the menu, have lost a balance on the taste. We miss the clean, satisfying taste of Guu... Disappointed...

Hmmmmmm. Good: location<br/>bad: the time limit is beyond rip off, not coming back and didn't tip of course. And the women are dressed like they work at a gas station. Get someone cute hired and dress them nice

Scallops are very fresh, enjoyed it very much! Good atmosphere & cheery staff

RUBBER BAND ON OUR SALAD - RUDE STAFF - POOR SERVICE!

A fantastic variety of really imaginative dishes each using garlic. Served in an atmosphere calculated to recreate a Japanese dining experience. In one section you can sit on the floor. Busy place. Never dull.

This was a pretty cool experience! The staff that day were all very friendly and had cute animal masks on with tails to match! the food was okay. The ebi mayo had wayyyyyy to much mayo in it and it seemed like when we asked what they would recommend they would give us the most expensive thing on the menu.

Amazing. Arrived with a group of 8 - waited 20 minutes to be seated without reservations. We arrived very late and their last call was 11:30 p.m. - by the time, we sat down the time was 11:40 p.m. - they stil serviced us. At first, the atmosphere could be a little too loud but that could be due to our hunger. We ordered a total of 24 - 26 dishes - they came out quickly, staff stayed late to serviced us. We weren't finished dinner until after 1:00 a.m. - which was absolutely courteous of them! Everyone was friendly and we had a good time! The food was also amazing - I recommend the black cod and tuna tataki - amazing dishes.

My favourite dinner place. If I get to choose where to celebrate my b-day, it will be Guu Garlic. I've been to Guu for so many years, seeing them from a small stores that only locals know (used to called Rakkuu and Guu), to a place that they own stores oversea...that's pretty amazing.<br/><br/>Speaking of food, you just can't find anything to come close to what Guu offers. I prefers Guu Garlic because they have my favorite: Deep fried chicken, which is crispy and dried (not greasy) outside, and juicy and tender inside. I have to order two orders for myself. The other favorite is the grilled squid, which is super tender and well seasoned. They also offers daily special that changes everyday.<br/><br/>There's some drawback like long line up (unless you book your table ahead, and ahead means not just 2 hours ahead, but like 2 days ahead cuz they are super busy), and on the pricey side. But quality is always over quantity, and Guu Garlic really shows how well they are making their food. <br/><br/>Last time I went I was seated at the patio, and those smokers on the street is very interfering...I hope staff from Guu and do something so everybody can enjoy their food without these interference. :)<br/><br/>Verdict:<br/>Food: 9.8/10 (best japanese food in town? if not, definitely one of the best)<br/>Service: 8/10 (they are so busy, and don't take same day reservation!!)<br/>Price: 8/10 (good quality food, so I don't mind the small portion. For me quality is more important than quantity)<br/>Overall: 25.8/30 (Very good Japanese restaurant)

Whoever complained about this place being too loud is a grump. Guu Garlic is nothing but fun. Sure, they tell out every order to the kitchen and welcome you with an "irashaimase" in Japanese fashion, but that's all part of the experience. Friendly staff, quick and delicious food, and even a no-shoes sit on the floor room! Love this restaurant.

The food was so gooood. The service is not bad. But I think it was quite noisy but good memory eating with real atmosphere of jp restaurant!

Awesome. Guu has a great atmosphere and pretty tasty food. Try the Tuna Tataki!

Bad place for a date. Went with my young super thin fit girlfriend after she said she wants to eat oriental food. Had heard of this place and even driven by sow e went. Bad idea. Oriental food offers little value or size. Rushed service. Weird language (everyone was Chinese). And make it worse not even cheap.

The real deal right here on Robson. <br/>Getting a table of four was a 45 minute wait on a Tuesday at 7pm

Guud. Atmosphere is not as fun/lively as it used to be. it's more like a busy and overwhelming environment now. anyways, they still make a mean chicken karaage and takoyaki is also still good. not so good were the grilled mackerel, kimchi nabe, beef tataki, salmon carpaccio. ishi-yaki was just plain gross. <br/>our old fave menu item, grilled snowcrab w 3 dipping sauces was not on the menu anymore. boo!<br/>our server was a bit wishy washy and all over the place but provided us with what we needed. <br/>cocktails were weak<br/>we'll b back for more karaage, takoyaki and sake soon ;)

Quirky place, nice food @ very fair price. Visited here several times in past years during our travels.<br/>Being a visitor on holiday makes it difficult to choose dining venues, however we took a punt and enjoyed ourselves.<br/>The screaming as people entered/exited didnt bother us.<br/>This is not a fine dining venue, however the food was very satisfactory @ very fair price.<br/>We would go back for another try if & when in the locale.

LOUD!! Deafening .... What a horrible place! The food was in the OK range but the dining experience bordered on the nightmarish. The screaming banshees who yell at the top of their voices on the entry and exit of customers (yeah, a Japanese tradition but carried to more than ridiculous heights here) added to the loud-ish music meant shouting at the top of one's lungs. It's a good place to go if you have nothing to say to your dining companions or need to exercise your lungs and vocal chords, and if you like the ridiculous or are deaf from heavy metal. TO BE AVOIDED by anyone who enjoys dining rather than stuffing his/her face.

Waited for 40-60 minutes for a table for 7, after we were seated we were told that we only had an hour in total to order and finish, since there would be another group to be seated there. After 10-15 minutes, the table of the same size behind us was free for the rest of our one hour stay, but we were still rushed to get out. <br/><br/>Food was meh, Toronto locations are definitely a lot better in regards to taste and the staff there are much more friendly. How the hell do you eat in an hour including deciding what to order and waiting for the food to arrive with 7 people?!

Garlic Overload. I don't mind garlic but perhaps I ordered all the wrong dishes because all the flavours were the same to me. We started out with the prawn tempuras and they were good! The mayo that came with it was awesome and the tempura was crunchy and it was just so delicious. But then came the rest of our meal and all the bites were just getting repetitive and nothing was exciting anymore. The price is alright, service was terrible and food was okay. This meal was definitely not the best Guu experience I've ever had and I will certainly not be coming back in the future.

Guu is guud. I've been a few times. the food is delicious. i really like their pumpkin croquette. however, i do not enjoy sitting at a sticky table.. please keep the place cleaner!

Great food & drink!. We had:<br/>fried chicken- good stuff, not sure what part of the bird it was, but we didn't care!<br/>beef ribs - short ribs- superb<br/>salmon sashimi - very good fish, didn't need the sauces<br/>chicken wings - sweet peppery glaze, holy s___!!! easily the best thing we had!<br/>takoyaki - pretty good, can't resist burning my mouth by eating them immediately when they arrive, alas, this is why i order takoyaki

Truly unique Japanese food!. Everytime I come to Guu, I enjoy the food immensely! I especially enjoy the laid back setting at Guu w/ Garlic near Stanley Park. It was the first Japanese restaurant I'd been too that didn't focus on sushi and a truly great experience. The food is relatively cheap. Kinda like Japanese tapas. And some of it is quite unusual, at least to my Western palate. I really enjoy the Saba Grill, with lemon, sautéed onions, and garlic chips. Or the deep fried brie cheese with blueberry sauce. Delicious! and well under $10 each plate. Well worth the experience! And I just love how they yell out the orders to the chefs from across the restaurant...

Guu is Really Guud. I hate to think how many times I passed this place without going in. The atmosphere is great - loud, lively and energetic. The outdoor seating is more quiet, and makes for good people watching.<br/><br/>The food is good and in small enough quantities that you can get several items without going overboard. Its not an outstanding culinary experience, but good bar food.

Rude staff. So we made a reservation and came back at our reserved time. There were empty tables near the window and we politely asked the waitress if we can get seated in one of those tables. The waitress didnt even look at us and just gave us a cold harsh NO. then perhaps realizing that she was being rude, she turned around and said sorry, only to see our shocked faces at her rudeness. The food was....meh, had better. and for the record, it really isnt worth the price. mediocre food and bad service, we wont be visiting again.

The Only thing. I like Guu Garlic, I bought a lot of my friends here and everyone love it, even my American friends that came down for a conference in Vancouver. I can eat here every day, love all the food, the price is good. <br/><br/>The only thing that I don't like is the wait and I cannot even call in for reservation. <br/><br/>Other than that, everything good, the staffs are friendly and provide good service.

Amazing flavor. I went in by myself and probably seemed like I didn't know what I was doing here(probably because I didn't). But when I travel on business I like to try new and different foods, so I just walk around and find places. Walking into Guu it was loud, but when you are eating by yourself it doesn't matter. The cooks as well as the wait staff were VERY friendly and seemed like they were all best friends hanging out, not working. It is a great atmosphere. <br/><br/>On top of the great energy of the place, I had a beer and a recommendation from the waitress, the Ramen salad. It was great. It had a bunch of different flavors in each bite that really seemed to compliment each other. I had already decided on somewhere else for dessert so I did not get too much food, but I would definitely like to go back to try some more food.

Total Disappointment. Was there with a friend on a Friday night at around 7:00p.m. Understandably all restaurants are busy at this time. When we first arrived we were told that the wait would be 1/2 hour so we gave our names and contact number and saw on the list that there were two tables ahead of us. After waiting for 1/2 hour it was finally our turn to be seated as the two groups ahead of us have been seated. When we were getting ready for the next table, a couple came in, made eye-contact with one the waitresses who obviously was there friends as they excitedly hugged and chatted. When the next table was up, these two peoples who came in later were seated before us!! We thought maybe that was a one time exception and patiently wait for the next table. Another 15 min gone by and during this time the waitress chatted on the phone, and then when the next table was up, she proceeded with cleaning a table and then putting a "reservation sign" on it, despite that there were at least 5 other groups of people waiting. We are not sure if these people also witnessed the whole "preferential seating" situation, but we felt that enough is enough and walked out, although it was probably our turn for a table next. Who knows if another "friend" may come by and took our table?! Everyone including us were waiting so patiently it was absolutely wrong for giving out seats to others who obviously did not have a reservation. We later on got a call at 8:10pm from the restaurant but we were already at another Japanese Izakaya restaurant on Main St. where we were greeted and seated within five minutes and the food was awesome. Should we have waited it would have been over 1 hour before we get our table.....total disappointment!!

Just like Guu Original, Guu with Garlic is a very small but cozy establishment. Once the hungry patrons start pouring in, the place gets very crowded and VERY noisy. One of the most common complaints you will read about Guu is that the staff are quite loud. A piece of advice, if you are someone that for some reason needs quiet when eating, DO NOT have dinner at any Guu location. When you enter or leave, the staff yell. When you place an order, dish by dish the staff will yell. When it is time to pay the bill... well you get the point heh. Traditionally, Japanese izakayas are meant to lively, noisy and packed so you are forewarned!<br/><br/>The dinner menu at Guu with Garlic is quite extensive with dozens of tasty dishes to choose from. As with any izakaya, the drink menu is also very large. Unfortunately I did not have the time to nurse a tall Asahi or Guu'd beer so I just ordered three of my favorite dishes to sample. Okonomiyaki is a famous Japanese pancake that is a fan favorite to munch on over a cold beer. Filled with deep fried squid and fresh cabbage, the crisp batter is drizzled with tonkatsu sauce and mustard mayo for an extremely flavorful dish. The second dish I had was takoyaki or deep fried octopus balls. If you have ever been to Japan, takoyaki are one of the most favorite 'fair snacks' and can be seen sold at vendor stands all over the country. Lastly, I ordered chicken karaage, a must-eat for anyone visiting a traditional izakaya. The boneless pieces of white chicken breast are battered and then deep fried and served piping hot with a side of lemon and garlic mayo.<br/><br/>www.alvinkclee.com

Lame... over-rated, over-priced.. Service was extremely rushed for our table even though the there was no line. Like she wanted us to order eat, shut up, pay $$$ and run out leaving the mandatory 15% tip?<br/><br/>Why is this place so liked? The food is okay, but it's expensive and very little portion. I know its tapas-styled but the whole ambience of this restaurant isn't even fancy, the food doesn't speak for itself either. 2-3 dishes here is enough money for me to head over to any other restaurant in robson.. They seem to skimp on their cocktails as well. I didn't even feel tipsy after a couple drinks.<br/><br/>Fun place to drink? People need to get out more...<br/>Fun place to brag/pretend about how much of a foodie you are. Fun place to waste money.. BUT you won't waste time because they'll rush the hell out of you!

Outstanding!. Guu is more of an experience then it is just a place to eat. I make a point of coming at least once (hopefully several times) every time I visit Vancouver.<br/><br/>From the moment you arrive and are greeted by the chefs with a loud welcome ("irasshaimase"). Everything (including the menu) is in Japanese. Thankfully, I discovered the english side of the menu before randomly pointing at things and hoping for the best. When you order, the waiter (or chef) yells each of your items to the kitchen (and they of course respond accordingly). <br/><br/>You would think that with all the yelling and orders flying feverously around the kitchen that things would be quickly prepared and of low quality... but let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth. These guys are professionals in every sense of the word. They provide outstanding service and absolutely amazing food to match. I've always contended that while classically trained chefs will cook you an amazing meal (typically for big bucks), some of the best food in the world can be found with family trained, experienced and passionate chefs who operate in modest (typically non-glamorous) conditions. I've travelled the world -- turn OFF the food network and just get out there and find the places yourself -- it's half the fun!! Guu is no exception to this.<br/><br/>You should try and go with a friend (likely only one friend, as seating is extremely limited and it is difficult to find seating large parties). Once you are seated, get busy ordering! This is a foodie's paradise. You can order literally 6 or 7 things, share them all and enjoy all the smells, tastes and sights.<br/><br/>My colleague and I ordered<br/>- Marguro Steak (Ahi Tuna)<br/>- Yaki Udon (by FAR the best Udon I have ever had)<br/>- Beef Ribs (not bad, but I wouldn't order them again)<br/>- Beef Tongue (absolutely delicious)<br/>- Ika-Maruyaki (squid - amazingly delicious and tender)<br/>- Fukahire-Kurage (a small rice dish... I would pass on this)<br/>- Kakuni (pork belly in a stew with egg and dikon ... very VERY fatty, but delicious as a result)<br/>- Ochazuke (jelly fish... tasty, similar to glass noodles, but chunchier.)<br/><br/> I also had a "Mega Sapporo" (about a litre of beer) -- which just paired nicely with everything we ordered.<br/><br/>Everything - including my beer and the drink my friend had, was about $70. Talk about value!!<br/><br/>They don't take reservations, so be prepared to wait a bit - but if you can wait it out, you will be rewarded with an amazing experience and some of the best food the city has to offer.

Good tapas food. I will recommend Beef tongue and pork cheek. Beef tounge mis with the fried garlic was soooooo yummy. Pork cheek melts in your mouth. The rest Is also worth to try.

Lots to eat but keep in mind some menu items are quite pricey! Regardless, the atmosphere is great, fast service and interesting foods to try other than typical sushi! I recommend you to expand your horizons at Guu!

The best. Forget Tojo's, all you can eat, and every other generic sushi places. Take the friends/parents/tourists here. The food and atmosphere is just awesome.

Guu is not maybe addictive, but it's really addictive! ( ﾟ ▽ ﾟ ;). I went there for my friend's small birthday party for a group of 5. We ordered a bottle of plum wine with soda water, I think it's really good but since my friends are not used to drink alcohol, they think it's a bit too over. Regardless of this, the food is excellent! Proportions for the dish were a bit small but we really enjoyed every single dish. We had beef carparccio, hotate (scallop), uni sashimi (sea urchin), okonomiyaki (Japanese panfried cake), Takoyaki, and so on. One of the dishes I should mention is the beef tongue steak. I expected to be so-so, where it may take me forever to chew and swallow, but it was actually still between rare and medium rare, and since I am a big fan of rare steak, the texture and taste were perfect!<br/><br/>Before my friends and I thought it would be crazily expensive since we ordered drinks and lots of food, and we still have to split a 5-people bill with 4 people as we're treating one friend as a birthday dinner, but it turns out to be quite a deal in terms of the quality of food! Service is awesome as well! We asked the waiter to get the cake for us, and she actually turned off the light, so everyone sings happy birthday to my birthday friend! This is just too touching...I think I have really gotten addicted to Guu now =D I will return for sure!

Love Guu I've been to all of their locations and they're all great. Wonderful service and great food which are decently priced. Guu garlic is my favorite location. It has a very upbeat atmosphere which works with the downtown scene :)

Good food Lame service. At first things seemed to be going well but as the meal progressed we saw less and less of any wait staff and noticed several of them doing shots of sake and beer...this might explain why 2 of our dishes were forgotten and had to be reordered. Food was enjoyable though as were the drinks we had, one a Sake Mojito and the other a Cassis. Would definitely enjoy this place more if the service was more attentive.

One one of the places I always try to stop at when I am in Vancouver. "Japanese tapas executed very well" is how I would sum this place up.<br/><br/>The staff is actually Japanese (not that it means non-japanese can't run a good Japanese restaurant) but it adds very much to the authentic feel of the place.<br/><br/>Love the atmosphere of yelling, noise, constant hussle and bustle which fits very well with the pace of life in the Robson street location. <br/><br/>Forget about trying to be a walk in, before when they didn't take reservations I would call them (yes I have them on speed dial) and ask to be put on the waiting list about 40minutes before I actually showed up.<br/><br/>One thing that will blow your mind in this place is the Tai Carpaccio..... <br/><br/>Actually that is all I really need to say about this place. Try it or miss out.

Go against the grain. It wasn't good. The food was wet and unapetizing. The wait was horrendous. The service... well not very 'cute.' and the Oriental service isn't exactly known for efficiency. What can I say? We had ribs.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm everything is so yummmmmmmmmmmmm I love it here.... All good & fun

Long time customer of guu. I swear that the restaurant has actually gotten louder over the years. food is great. atmosphere is better than hapa's IMO. don't go to guu if you have a headache or hate people shouting.

Warning: Guu may be addictive!. I love Guu with Garlic. I`ve been a regular for the past 3 years and am not sick of the food yet! The quality has been great, and they`ve even switched up the pork so the ton toro is alot juicier. The staff is wonderful and the environment ,although busy, is a great place to chill with friends. There are downsides like wait time and so on, but I don`t mind cause there`s a reason why this place is always so busy!

Had the duck breast - yum! The adedashi tofu was good too. Ordered a cocktaill, can't remember the name but it has melon flavor. That was weak. The bar does have a 2 hour sitting time limit.

Not disappointed.. We've heard great things about Guu and we've been wanting to try it forever. So finally, 6 of us finally got a date down and we went. <br/><br/>First I had the agedashi dofu, which was really good. The sauce was just perfect and the tofu texture was well done. Then I had the beef tongue steak, and that was juicy. It was a little too rare for me though, wish they gave me the option of how well I would like it done. Finally I ordered the eel with cheese in a flaky pastry. THe combination sounded a little weird and I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but I thought I should give it a try. What can I say, the combo was great. The cheese was a little overpowering, but I could still detect the yummy eel taste. Needless to say, I was very happy with the food at this restaurant. My only complaint would be how loud it was in there. All the waiters and waitresses had booming voices and they shouted all the greetings and all the orders. My ears were ringing a bit after. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant experience.<br/><br/>Like it says on the chopstick wrap: Guuing can be additive. :D

One of my favs. Guu (formerly Raku) on Thurlow was one of the first Izakaya restaurants in Vancouver and I have been hooked ever since. Since then they have opened multiple restaurants including locations in Gastown, Richmond, and Robson. <br/><br/>This is one of my favorite restaurants due to the quality and variety of food you receive. Dishes I order regularly: yaki udon, pumpkin croquette, ebi mayo, marinated jelly fish. <br/><br/>Specials are rotated on a regular bases so there is always something new to try. Quite popular so there is always a wait.

Love at first bite.. The chefs have rockstar hair and have the music turned up. The menu is diverse and I can say that it's the first place that I've loved beef tongue. The takoyaki was amazing.<br/>Service was fast and pleasant - sit at the bar for the best experience.

Guu Garlic is one of the our favourite Izakaya restaurants and for good reason. We have visited Guu Garlic on many previous occasions and it has never disappointed us. I decided to put on my ‘food critic’ hat for this latest visit and try to provide some information on food quality, atmosphere and pricing of this restaurant.

It's been a while, but I promise that this will be a very Guu'd one! *ba-dum tsh* Near the beginning of the month, I attended a conference in Vancouver to get some professional networking experience, but also so that I could be in Vancouver, because well, Vancouver. I flew out right after my last class of the week, and went to Vancouver a few days earlier so that I could hang out with P. P drove 13 hours from Edmonton to Vancouver! The foodie force is strong with this one... London is a great place, but tends to lack super awesomeness in the Asian food department, so I really had to get my fix. On the day that I arrived in Vancouver, P and I went food hopping on Robson Street - a district full of Japanese, Korean, and other delicious Asian foods. We started at Guu with Garlic , a.k.a. Guu Robson (1698 Robson Street, Vancouver, B.C.). Guu is a string of izakaya, which are essentially Japanese tapas bars, in Vancouver and Toronto. I had never been, but heard from several friends about it

Date of visit: April 26, 2014 Guu Izakaya is probably one of the oldest Japanese izakayas in Vancouver that has been around before other Izakayas or creative eating establishments were opened. Guu used to have only 3 locations which were the ones located on Thurlow (Guu Original), on Robson (Guu Garlic) and in Gastown (Guu Otokamae). Back then I used to go to Guu quite often. Whenever I went, I always went to Guu Garlic for dinner and Guu Original for lunch, because I really love the lunch menu at Guu Original and Guu Garlic did not offer lunch at then. So many things have changed over time. There are now way more creative eating establishments in Vancouver, and the food offering here is super diverse now. Higher end izakayas such as Kingyo and Suika have opened up. Guu, on the other hand, just seems to be quite the same and no longer as attractive. I would still come to Guu Garlic when I have craving for the "Naan Pizza", because I have not yet been able to found in other izakayas. I

The place was lively and bustling as usual, with the employees yelling greetings, dishes, thank yous, and all sorts of phrases in Japanese. We were seated at the corner side of the bar that's between a wall and the bar, which meant we were looking straight into the kitchen and food prep area. I liked it because we got to see them cooking the food and prepping dishes :) The night's features: We decided to order the cajun fries, the steamed clams, the kaarage, the yakiudon, and the pork tempura. When the fries arrived we were surprised at the size of the plate. It was really a lot of fries piled up on there! There were heavily seasoned with pepper, but I'm a huge fan of pepper anyways so I didn't mind. The mayo was some "cajun mayo" they created by mixing a cajun spice rub with the typical

Went to Guu Garlic , and we were disappointed. The dishes were not as good as they used to be — very sad. The ama ebi, sweet shrimps, was ok and was not popping crunchy fresh. The fried garlic and fried shrimps were not anything special. Chicken wings with soy glaze was delicious but I was not wow by them.