Best of Toronto
The Best Sushi Takeout in Toronto
The best sushi takeout in Toronto is always ready to please you and your ravenous friends who are impatiently waiting at home for your return. While the places depicted here have physical locations almost as tiny as a TTC streetcar during rush hours, they more than make up for it with the quality (or price) of their food. Perfect for those birthday surprises or impromptu Wii gaming nights, nothing says "Let's eat!" like a white styrofoam box of maki with a little dollop of wasabi on the side and an always too-few amount of soy sauce packets.
Here are best options for sushi takeout in Toronto.
See also:
The best cheap sushi in Toronto
The best splurge sushi in Toronto
The best AYCE sushi in Toronto
Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. He hangs out on the twitter and his own mansion.
Sushi Marche
With locations in Leslieville and Leaside, Sushi Marche and its chef John Lee have built a solid base among east side raw fish fans by offering quality that rivals the city's top sushi restaurants, both in terms of creativity and freshness. While the takeout here isn't cheap (what's that old saying you get what you pay for?), it's evident that Lee knows what he's doing (his pedigree includes a stint with Iron Chef Morimoto). Take all that, plus the fact they offer sushi classes on weekends and a small staple of Japanese grocery items and you certainly have a takeout sushi place that sets itself apart from the rest. More »
Sushi Bong
Despite a name that conjures up activities of questionable legality, Sushi Bong in North York is full of G-rated fun for the whole family. While the restaurant is small (tiny, really), it does a brisk takeout business, most of which comes from the seemingly 9 billion condos that cluster around this area. A local favourite is the huge Dynamite Roll, which at under $10, is an awesome deal given its size. The overall quality and creativity of their sushi offerings may not be as high as some others on this list, but for sheer value, it's hard to top the Bong. More »
930 Sushi
This sushi place offers a variety of popular maki and packs them in with care along with a small strip of shiso leaf, which acts as a much-needed digestive aid after making your third sushi platter disappear like David Copperfield. I've found the quaility of the sashimi here to be among the freshest I've had with a smooth almost butter-like quality. Plus, you gotta love the charmingly simple and straight to the point three-sentence line on their website. "Welcome to the website for Sushi 930. We are located just east of Strachan Avenue on King Street West. Call ahead to place an order for pick-up!" 'Nuff said. More »
Taro's Fish
If authenticity is the name of the game then this is the place. Found way uptown in the Bayview and Sheppard area (near the Ikea), Taro's Fish is a local favourite for those who crave Japanese-made sushi. The prices are head and shoulders above what you would expect a takeout place to be but each sushi is made with such evident care that it's completely worth it. The overall quality and variety of sushi here are so good that this place should really be part of the answer given the next time you hear someone ask "So who gets off at Bessarion Station anyway?" More »
Nigiri-Ya
On sleepy Millwood Avenue in Leaside, Nigiri-Ya is a small family-owned place helmed by an ex-Nobu sushi chef. The small and cozy restaurant's sole focus is offering raw fish (none of that ramen or teriyaki nonsense) which practically guarantees they're experts in what they do. Try the Garlic Butterfish Roll (it's as smooth as it sounds) and is also offered at a 10% discount on weekdays. More »
LAN Sushi
A small and slightly cramped place on Dundas just west of Keele, LAN Sushi has been a big hit with local Junctionites (is that what they're called?) ever since it cured them of the complete absence of a local sushi option. The fish here is fresh, the service is friendly and if you're lucky you might just score some complimentary hand rolls. Of particular note, LAN offers delicious (and possibly one of the largest) Dynamite Rolls, along with a lomg list of sashimi and sushi combo options. The place isn't fancy, but the food certainly is. And no, they don't do LAN parties. More »
Pearl Sushi
If you ever get a sushi craving around Mimico then visit Pearl Sushi. Their maki and sashimi are a big hit with locals and though they may not provide too many unique or fancy options, they do serve up consistently good quality along with a handful of the by-now standard Korean offerings. Their BBQ kalbi is sweet and flavourful, and is worth adding on to any takeout sushi order. More »
Nari Sushi
Nari Sushi, servicing the King East Design District, is a new gem spot that's already a hit among George Brown students and local office workers. Not only can you get freshly-made sushi here (try the chirashi), but you can also stretch your budget like Mr. Fantastic by picking up a selection of their always available pre-made sushi and maki sets (discounted by 25% at the end of the business day). Service is quick and friendly and prices are a bargain considering the quality and quantity of their offerings. Please note, though, that they close early so if a take-out sushi dinner is on the agenda you better get there by 8pm. More »
CJ Lunch Box
If you've ever wondered how a live production line would look like in a factory (if that factory produces nothing but rows of sushi and other Japanese food while being watched by hungry people), then this is the place for you. Amid the cloud of activity here, you can just about see an array of staff preparing rolls and frying dumplings, all at a speed that would probably impress Usain Bolt. Besides being quick, the Richmond and Spadina lunch spot also offers sushi that is consistent and of good quality. There's nothing too fancy here but with offerings at around $4 a box, all I can say is if CJ Lunch Box is in MY lunch box I'll be a happy camper. And my wallet will be too. More »
Ninja Sushi
Winner of possibly the laziest and most stereotypical combination of Japanese terms in a business name award, Ninja Sushi is a small mom-and-pop located in the rather obscure Bamburgh Gardens strip plaza in Scarborough. While the restaurant is very small, it somehow doesn't feel cramped meaning you'll have plenty of room as you wait for your delicious sushi and tempura combo. The quality of the fish here is excellent for such a nondescript place, and it's definitely a big hit with the condo residents around the area. The service is also always pleasant, and they are only too happy to have you dine in there (provided the one main dining table isn't already occupied). More »
Kokoro Sushi
Kokoro Sushi is one of the most utilitarian places you'll see, with simple decor and piles of styrofoam containers perched precariously on its premises. But it delivers big-time in the value department. They usually have a blackboard which lists their house combo specials, and these are without a doubt where you can get the most bang for your buck, with Kokoro Combo 3 (6 assorted sushi and 10 salmon tempura) being my personal favourite at just under $12. Kokoro means heart in Japanese, so it's pretty safe to say that I "heart" this place (har har). More »
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I mean, is there no one employed at all to do even a quick skim before a piece is published?
I appreciate the content of BlogTo, but the quality of writing is atrocious.
"While the places depicted here have physical locations almost as tiny as a TTC streetcar during rush hours"
It is impossible to understand what is meant by that. Are we meant to understand that these restaurants are as big/small as a streetcar? Or that these restaurants are as big/small as the tiny amount of unoccupied space on a streetcar at rush hour (which is obviously non-sensical)? Or that the restaurants somehow have locations that are not physical (and maybe are bigger?) If analogies are not the writer's strong suit, a simple declarative sentence that the restaurants are very small would be a better approach.
Within that quoted sentence, "rush hours" shouldn't be pluralized. The term refers to both morning and evening blocks, which I presume was the intent, and also refers to multiple hours within each block.
Grammar:
"an always too-few amount of soy sauce packets."
("soy sauce packets" are countable nouns)
Obviously the introduction is not the essential part of the article, but it is needlessly sloppy.
CJ Lunchbox? Are you kidding? That joint makes pretty bland sustenance.
Here's an idea: call a GOOD sushi joint, place an order, go get it.
Toshi. Japango. etc etc.
BUT, when I was in Tokyo I ate at a triple Michelin-starred Keiseki place called Ginza Koju (or Kojyu) and afterwards the staff gave my friend and I a tour of the kitchen.
One of the line chefs said his friend owned a place in Toronto called "Nigir-ya..." So there you go. There's that connection.
Also, have eaten at Taro and I stand by it. Very good, especially if you want to buy fresh fish and make it yourself. The staff are mega-helpful.
He's saying the places are small and hard to find, just like how streetcars are impossible to find during rush hour (albeit not that small...).
who gives a shit???
fucking nerdsssss
hmmmm think I'll go to Loblaws
Someone commented on how the pictures make all the food look disgusting, and I'd have to agree. Especially the opening picture.
Anyway, either the writer only made a post about the places he has specifically visited, or he did some Google searches and chose the places that had positive reviews online that he could reword. Whatever it was, he put some really generic places, some extremely overpriced places and missed out on actual gems.
On that note, I'll comment on some places:
New Generation - great place when I started visiting but the food quality started going downhill. The staff and service has always been great. I'd imagine it was the type of situtation where the owner realized he could be making a lot more money and still keep up the high amount of traffic he was getting (and probably still is). I guess I'd recommend it if you must eat downtown.
Japango on Queen St E - beautiful little place. The staff has always been very good. Service is great. The food is excellent! Of course, the prices are a bit higher ($1-2) but I think it's worth it if you're in the area.
Double Sushi at 2795 Danforth Ave - this place is excellent. Great prices. Very friendly staff. Cute store. The food itself is top notch, though they don't really have any special dishes that stand out from other stores. I prefer to eat in.
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