Sushi By Yuji

My boyfriend took me recently on a date; I’ve been to that area many times and never even noticed this restaurant! The décor inside is very quaint, reminds me of tiny little restaurants in Kyoto. It looks very traditional inside! The food is top-​notch, the hot food and sashimi/​sushi is excellent. The sashimi is chef’s choice, and is dependent on the fresh fish that Yuji receives every day. I highly recommend the beef tongue curry, the taste is just to-​die-​for! I highly recommend this place.

This quaint little hidden gem looks nondescript and unimpressive on the outside, but splendidly defeats all initial impressions with quality, quality, quality.
All the sashimi is super fresh, and sitting at the bar, it’s easy to see that the chef clearly takes great care in preparation and cleanliness. The nigiri are a well-​balanced fish-​to-​rice ratio, and the sushi combos are thoughtful and simple, as to rely on the ingredients to shine.
The staff are very attentive and very polite, and though it’s obvious English is their second language, it’s also obvious they do their best with your requests and questions. I’m lucky to live so close to this sushi joint, I’ve never been disappointed! It gets busy so go early or make sure you have reservations!

The food was nothing short of amazing! We ordered several different rolls and everything was very fresh and tasty. The sushi chef also took time to answer questions we had regarding the menu. The Shiro roll was our favorite roll. I will definitely visit again and recommend to others.

A great small restaurant when you are craving sushi. They have a nice selection of nigiri and gunkan sushi at reasonable prices. I usually stick with their nigiri and gunkan, but I tried the shiro roll today and didn’t like it. The rice was mushy and roll was coming apart. Not sure if other rolls are like this or if it was an off day?
I find that the nigiri is small compared to other sushi restaurants. But I still enjoy coming here because they offer a good selection of quality fish, including some that are usually only found at higher end places. Most nigiri and gunkan are $ 2.50 a piece, the most expensive was $ 4 (uni).
Service is friendly as is expected from Japanese operated restaurants.
Reservation is a must as there are only 18 seats, including the bar. If you see the «closed» sign on the door and people dining inside, it just means they are fully booked.

The way they run their business is terrible… We have been turned away 3 separate times … 1^st and 2^nd time because they ran out of food although they had empty tables and the third because they said no take out today and then said well maybe but it would be an hour and a half …

This is hands down one of the best sushi place I visited in this town. With a modest interior yet everything is clean and it gives a feel of an actual authentic sushi shop. Just a reminder they will serve only sushi, so no tempura or teriyaki.
I am usually a roll guy, but this place with its well seasoned rice I started to appreciate Negiri sushi (piece of fish on rice). As this is one place you know where they got the rice flavouring right. Fishes are fresh and it emphasis on the natural flavour instead of relying on sauces.
Service was always courteous and attentive but maybe have to slow down on speaking as the staff are non native English speakers

Went for omakase for 2 people, and after looking at other people’s omakase review when we got home, I’m very certain they forgot something, most likely a sashimi dish.
We had 4 nigiris each and 2 roll pieces. And that was it for $ 28 each.
The server did not comprehend enough English and didn’t even tell us our omakase courses were done. We just sat there for another 20 mins waiting for our next course until we asked if anything else was coming.
Get the a la carte and do not do the omakase. We got ripped off, won’t revisit.

I was here on Valentine’s Day. Received a long stem rose after I paid the bill. Authentic, fresh, great, quality sashimi. Great little neighborhood place need reservation.

[The Sushi Locker]
Color me impressed. I didn’t expect much from this tiny little sushi joint but it blew my taste buds to flavor country. The shop occupies a small corner unit in a commercial complex on Kingsway. There’s a lineup on most evenings — not unexpected given there’s only seating for a dozen or so.
After perusing the menu, I opted for the avocado BC roll, negihamachi roll, and an assortment of Nigiris. Of the latter, the uni and tobiko-​quail egg were the clear winners. The other rolls and nigiris were excellent as well — fresh fish and rice but the uni was melt-​in-​your-​mouth heaven. One can’t argue with freshness. My bill came out upwards of $ 35 which is a tad spendy for a pair of rolls and half a dozen nigiris. However, you do get what you pay for here.
Service was excellent — the servers were constantly checking on us. Ambience was something to be desired but far from your typical hole-​in-​the-​wall joints.
Repeat? Possibly. I’m definitely in love with the food quality but the place doesn’t exactly scream date night. Oh, and they do take reservations — if you can get one.

The sashimi is very good here. Very flavourful.
But expect to spend about $ 30 per person here just for food. It’s pricier and the quality is good, but in terms of value… it’d difficult to say. Come here if you want a good taste of different types of nigiri that you THOUGHT you didn’t like/​or did’t know what taste you were looking for. This place gives you a good base line for what flavours you’re looking for in good quality nigiri.
I would go for the sashimi and nigiri over any of the other items.
The rolls are unremarkable.
Selection here isn’t best, but it’s good enough. I’d rather have fewer good quality items than my pick of everything.
If you have a higher budget for sushi I’d say go here– get takeout (the space isn’t particularly nice).
But if you want good balance of price and quality I’d rather go to Toshi’s or Shiro’s.

Wild Sockeye Salmon Sashimi is amazing!
Overall seafood quality: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Waitress is attentive and friendly
Authentic Japanese sushi

Oishi! If you’re looking for super fresh, tasty nigiri and sushi then this is your place. As this was my second time here my boyfriend and I decided to order omakase as suggested by another Unilocal reviewer. It’s not listed on the menu so you’ll have to ask the chef. The total with taxes and service came to about $ 60 for 2 people. Not Japan prices for sushi but the quality and taste was definitely similar and up there! Made me miss my trip in Japan earlier this year and satisfied my nigiri cravings! Wasn’t busy when we went in (3pm on Saturday) compared to my first time (7pm weekday) here. Love how the restaurant isn’t too far from my house either, and don’t have to look hard for parking, compared to other sushi places.
Definitely must try this place!

The food is awesome. Probably one of the best sushi places for the price. Quality is high, taste is delicious, size is smaller but I rather have quality over quantity.
The place is small and hidden. Seats about 18~20 ppl. There is only the owner that is making the sushi and one waitress. When it’s packed, it can be a little slow but like other great places, there is a wait for the food.
I do recommend going up to get the bill and pay, as you would need to if you’re paying with card. The pocky you get after you pay is good too.

Located on Kingsway between Victoria and Nanaimo, this little sushi shop is a hidden gem. The place will fit probably only around 20 people and is run by chef Yuji himself and two waitresses. Simple, casual décor but not cramped. Service is a bit slow though because Yuji prepares basically everything by himself.
We started off with some Seaweed Salad, which we were a bit disappointed with. Since we knew the place was supposed to be pretty authentic, we thought the seaweed salad wouldn’t be the ones that you get at the supermarket. Turns out it’s just that typical stuff. Flavourwise, it was well seasoned and the seaweed was crunchy.
For salmon sashimi, they only sell Wild Sockeye Salmon here, so we ordered it anyways and it came with 9 pieces of sashimi. This was cut nicely and the fish was very fresh. The size were a little on the smaller size though (I feel like this picture makes them appear larger).
We also got an order of the Toro Sashimi. This had 5 pieces and the tuna belly was extremely fatty and melted in your mouth. However, I was disappointed with some of the pieces since they weren’t cut properly. It was sort of like broken?
We also all had the Toro Nigiri which is a must order! Melt in your mouth sushi! So delicious! I also like how they already put wasabi inside. Oh and be sure to order this early, since most people will order this here. When we tried to put in a second order later in the evening, they were already sold out.
What I really came here for were because I saw those pretty pictures of the gunkan. The Tobiko with Egg comes as your regular tobiko gunkan but topped with a raw quail egg. This tasted delicious! I remember trying this at another restaurant and not liking it, but I think it was because the quail egg wasn’t very fresh. This was completely different and absolutely delicious. Crunchy and creaminess in your mouth at the same time. The Negitoro with Egg is the same concept and was also delicious and a must order. If you are not a fan of the raw eggs, then you can get them without as well for 50 cents less.
We got a few more of those after but K also tried the Mentaiko with Ika, which was on their daily special board. Mentaiko is marinated roe from pollock and cod, so some may find it fishy while others enjoy it. I thought it was interesting that they paired it with squid. K said it was pretty good.
We all had the Chopped Scallop Gunkan, which had big juicy scallops and the mayonnaise sauce wasn’t too overwhelming.
The Tako Nigiri came with a bit of marinade sauce and the octopus was extremely tender and fresh. One of the best I’ve had. E and my dad enjoyed their Hamachi Nigiri which they also commented as being very fresh.
E got the Aji Nigiri which had part of the skin attached to it but he didn’t mind it. It seemed like he quite enjoyed this as well.
I also got the Salmon Toro Nigiri, which the belly of the salmon. This was super smooth and creamy! I actually almost enjoyed this more than the regular salmon. We shared the Yuji Roll, which comes with a variety of fillings including tuna, salmon, and shrimp. Everyone enjoyed this roll.
Last but not least, we finished off with the House Roll, which we ordered the full order. You can also get half an order. This again was filled with an assortment of fish. Although you know it’s probably the ends of the sashimi, it was still very fresh and perfect for those who love sashimi.
Dinner ends off with a complimentary bag of Pocky for each guest. How cute! Overall, I was extremely happy with Sushi by Yuji. If you love traditional nigiris and fresh sashimi, this is the place to be. They barely have any cooked items here though, so don’t be expecting any of that. You also won’t find any of those creative rolls with tons of sauces on. Prices are a bit higher than most Japanese restaurant but are on par with Japanese owned restaurants. You may end up spending a bit more since they don’t really have those filler dishes, but rather just mostly sushi. Although service was a bit slow, it was very friendly and Yuji even waved and thanked us as we left the restaurant. Small things like this makes a difference. I’ll be back again soon!
Pros:
— Fresh sashimi and well-​executed sushi
— Reasonable prices for authentic Japanese food
Cons:
— Wait for food to arrive is a bit slow due to only one chef

I’m a fan of Sushi By Yuji. It’s a pretty small place so reservations are highly recommended. Service may not be as fast because there’s only just 1 sushi chef so your order may come out slower. But when the food does come out, it’s unbelievably delicious.
The rolls and sashimi are good, but I’d suggest focusing on the nigiri & gunkan. Because every time I eat here, I can’t leave without getting the toro and the uni. The toro melts in your mouth and the uni is like a dessert to me! haha!
PS. It’s also a great spot for a casual date night!

Checked out this place on a weekday for lunch based on the good reviews on Unilocal.Sushi was definitely fresh. Kind of disappointed that they didn’t have any toro!
Another tip is that there are no cooked meats here (katsu, chicken or beef teriyaki, etc) so make sure you come here with raw fish lovers. (Sorry momsie — they didn’t have the menu online).
Really enjoyed this place for solid sushi but zero stars in atmosphere as its a tiny spot w no décor.
P. s. Got two packs of pocky when the check came!

Very very good sushi, visit was slightly soured by slower service.
We had a 630 reservation but showed up at 615, got a table, ordered, and by 630 someone else came in for their reservation however was turned away at the door, overheard the server saying they’ll be closing early. Found out shortly after that Yuji was ill, apparently had a sudden nose bleed, the servers caring for their boss was thinking of closing early (later on in the meal other ppl showed up at the door and Yuji told the servers that it’s fine, let them in, however you can tell he didn’t look that great.
Now to get onto the food reviews.
Shiso Saba roll: Interesting mixture, can’t taste the saltiness of the saba, the shiso overpowers it, I liked it, but not sure everyone would.
Tobiko with quail egg: Small, but very delicious, make sure you break up the egg in your mouth and let it mix with the rest of the sushi for the best experience and taste.
Deluxe Assorted Sashimi: Smaller pieces than some other places, my only complaint about this. The aji with chopped green onions on top was excellent, the onions completely removed any «fishy» taste that aji sometimes has.
Marinated Tuna: This appetizer was amazing, my gf found it had too much wasabi in the marinade, however I found it to be perfect. Make sure you eat each piece with some of the sprouts (forgot what kind of sprouts they are).
Unagi nigori: Melted in my mouth, so fatty, so oily… soooooo good!
Engawa (Halibut): This was my favorite dish, we ordered 2 pieces of Engawa nigori, however I wish we ordered more, it has a firmer texture than most other fishes, similar to ika but not as chewy. First bite and it felt like butter came out of the fish, the rest of the piece was bathed in a smooth texture in my mouth, completely tantalized my taste buds!
I strongly suggest checking this place out, however make sure you’re not in any rush as the service is slower (Yuji’s the only chef) and the servers manually calculate the bill (double checks everything with the menu). Their English is very limited so be patient. Go here to experience the sushi, experience the taste, don’t go here if you’re in a rush and plan to be served like you would at Miku.

Handwritten menus. Specials on the walls. This place is small, quaint and authentic. The perfect spot to get my sushi and sashimi cravings satisfied. A buddy and I went for a late Sunday dinner at Sushi by Yuji’s and the place was essentially empty, except for two small parties. Nice, I’ll take having the whole place to ourselves.
The prices are reasonable and the quality is definitely there. We ordered:
— Salmon and tuna carpaccio ($ 8.75) — we wanted to try both so we got half an order of each kind. So fresh, seriously, this was a good way to start off my sushi eating in Van.
— Assorted sashimi combo ($ 11.75 for 12 pieces) — tuna, wild salmon, hamachi, ika (squid), saba (mackarel) and small scallop. You know you’re in for a treat when the salmon is wild. Again, everything was top notch (presentation/​size/​freshness).
— Spicy negitoro ($ 4.75) and spicy negahamachi ($ 5.75) — perfect amount of spiciness in both rolls. Yum.
— 2x Toro nigiri ($ 2.25 each) — our friend recommended that we try this here so we gave it a shot. These were presented differently than normal nigiri, I’m pretty sure I like them more with rice than wrapped up in the nori. Still, toro is always good so can’t complain too much.
— Chopped scallop rolls ($ 3.75) — my buddy always orders chopped scallops so this was no different. Fresh and simply done well.
— Shiro roll ($ 13.00) — this is their house special roll and you get 8 reasonably big pieces. Simple but well done, definitely would order it again.
Nice little touch at the end where they give you a packet of Pocky’s. The sushi chef’s at Yuji’s know what they are doing — everything is fresh and the skill is evident. You get what you pay for — the saying definitely rings true here. If you haven’t been yet, check out Yuji’s! Their original location, Shima-​Ya, is also supposed to be just as good. We tried to go but they were completely packed. Anyways, Yuji’s. Do it. Gooooood talk.

You wouldn’t expect much from this place just by looking at it from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of everything.
Service was good if a little confused due to language problems. If there is confusion because our waitress doesn’t know the right English word and only speaks Japanese in a Japanese restaurant, then that’s okay in my books.
We ordered the uni special, a couple pieces of nigiri and a couple of sushi rolls. I’ll definitely be back.

I picked Sushi by Yuji for casual dinner with my girlfriend coz it’s just around the corner at my friend’s house. As usual, I checked on reviews and food pictures before I made the rsvn. I also found they have a lot of positive review and update posting on Facebook regularly. It should be good to try out.
It’s causal Japanese restaurant on Kingsway and nearby Nanaimo Street. They only have 5 – 6 small tables therefore, rsvn must! When we walked in at 6ish, the restaurant already half full. I thought this is a good sign…
After we got seated by window and checked out the menu right the way. The menu is very simple and in hand-​written format, it only has few kinds of sashimi, no cooked food or tempura…
We ordered some items to try, salad, sashimi, gunkan & nigiri sushi. It’s what we had and experience on our food…
Salad —
Seaweed salad — It’s most common salad dish in Japanese restaurant and wouldn’t go wrong. Yes, nothing wrong with it coz it really taste like Costco instant seaweed salad!
Spinach Gomaae — Spinach quite chewy and freezing cold, not much sesame sauce in it.
Sashimi —
Deluxe Assorted Sashimi — Tuna, Wild salmon, Hamachi (Yellowtail), Hotate (Scallop), Saba (Mackerel), Engawa (Halibut) and Ika (Squid). None of the sashimi were in quality grade and a bit fishy, but, we expected in such price.
Hamachi Toro sashimi — the worst Hamachi toro I had ever! I’m not kidding, just check out my picture and found out Hamachi toro wasn’t fatty and had red line (tendon?) on it.
Gunkan —
It seems like their signature sushi on the menu and we ordered some of it as well. All of them — Tobiko with egg, tuna carpaccio, Ika with egg, Uni, Salmon carpaccio were mediocre but creative.
Nigiri —
Saba definitely not good! Quite fishy and salty!
We did understand causal can be good, but cheap food will not have high quality ingredient for sure!