Sushi Okeya Kyujiro
Montreal
At a glance
Reviews
Okeya Kyujiro beautifully combines art, ritual and a delicious meal. Yumi warmly greeted us for our lunch reservation and provided us with information on each dish. My personal favourite was the crab but each course was expertly prepared. Perfect for those who want to taste delicate flavours that pair well with the raw fish and let it shine. We had a fantastic experience overall and hope to return soon!
Pioneers of theatrical omakase in North America. Came in for the lunch omakase this past weekend. Walked into a dark room, the counter hidden behind heavy blinds. Once everyone was seated, the blinds rolled up with the loud, sharp clack of hyoshigi (traditional hardwood blocks). There weren't many performative beats after that, and since conversation with the chefs wasn't "allowed" (you communicate through the servers), the silence actually helped. It pushed all your attention onto what was happening behind the counter. The meal itself, though, didn't match what I expected at the price. Outside of the kegani (Hokkaido hairy crab), there wasn't much in the way of unique selections across the course. The neta was solid, but for a place that strictly adheres to Edomae traditions, the flavors weren't as concentrated as they should've been. I could still taste moisture in some of the fish. A few of the fatty pieces and skins never got torched either, so the kin medai and saba came off a little flat. There was also a mismatch with the shari. They used larger-grain Sasanishiki, which usually pairs beautifully with fatty cuts (and I loved it on its own), but against neta this restrained, the rice felt texturally too assertive.
As a Japanese person, this dinner really took me back home. Beyond the quality fish, whose provenance was explained by the servers, it was lovely to enjoy flavours I miss from Japan, like yuzu, kinome miso and momiji oroshi. They were paired thoughtfully with each fish, enhancing its flavour without overpowering it. And because it was an omakase, I was able to try varieties I wouldn't normally order on my own, which I appreciated. The chocolate in the matcha dessert was a little stronger than I prefer, but the tea ceremony at the end balanced things out nicely. Overall, a memorable evening. I'd be curious to see how the Kyoto location compares!
Dining at Okeya Kyujiro was good. My expectations were high but my experience felt short. The show was supposed to start at 20:15, but actually started 25 minutes late… not professional. Out of the 25+ courses, I genuinely enjoyed at best 6 of the courses. In my opinion, everything else was just ok. The staff was very friendly & described every course. Overall, I can’t justify the price of the experience, because it was good but not great. Thank you.
We visited as a family of three—my wife, my daughter, and myself. From the moment we entered, the server kindly guided us, and we immediately felt a genuine sense of hospitality. As the curtain rose and the dishes were presented alongside the music, everything felt exceptionally refined—it was such a wonderful experience that we almost forgot we were not in Japan. We were truly happy to find that such outstanding Japanese cuisine can be enjoyed in Montreal. The server’s detailed explanations of each dish and the chef’s performance made the entire two-hour experience thoroughly enjoyable. We would definitely love to visit again. We are Japanese, and even from a Japanese perspective, this restaurant is highly recommended.
