The Hunger Struck - Confessions of a Food Fanatic.

I’m a little surprised that it’s taken me this long to write up a list of my favorite Vancouver Izakayas. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I would say I overindulge myself with these amazing Japanese tapas or small plates about once a week. They are my favorite for after work drinks, as well as the number one choice for any celebration that involves dinning out with friends. The best part is you can completely overindulge, and by this I mean eat like a pig and it wont break the bank.

While a in Japan were originally drinking establishments that served small plates of food (not sushi), usually deep fried and intended as accompaniments to to a few glasses of beer, in Vancouver Izakayas have become a popular dinner and even lunch destination. Here are the 5 Izakayas that I think represent the best Vancouver has to offer, I eat regularly at all of these establishments and these are the places I recommend to out of town guests.

1. Kitanoya Guu with Otoko Mae – This is at the top of my list because it is by far my most frequented and for me it is also my favorite. I’ve been overeating here consistently for years and somehow, I never seem to get sick of it.There’s also something about the atmosphere in this place that pleases me, it’s loud, the service is always friendly and there’s deep fried brie cheese on the menu. It’s a bit tricky to get reservations here and they only accept them before 5pm and generally don’t answer their phones before 5pm either so if you have to make a reservation give yourself several days to get a hold of them. Also, they have a 2 hour time limit which can get annoying at times.

Kitanoya Guu Otoko Mae
105-375 Water Street
Vancouver, (604) 685-8682
www.guu-izakaya.com

2. Hapa Izakaya – This is my  current favorite for downtown Izakaya. It’s quite busy like the Gastown Guu so get there early or make a reservation or you can expect a decent wait. I mentioned Hapa in a previous post on Vancouver sushi restaurants, though not a sushi restaurant to say the least, they do have great fresh fish so if you’re in the mood for a little sushi with your other favorite fried foods Hapa is a great choice.

Hapa Izakaya
1479 Robson Street,
Vancouver – (604) 689-4272
www.hapaizakaya.com

3. Gyoza King – This is one of those restaurants that I’ve heard some people say isn’t an official Izakaya because it’s not Japanese owned. I couldn’t disagree more, there are many Japanese style dishes on the menu and the Chinese and Korean influence is what I think makes this place interesting. Also most of the other Izakayas mentioned in this list have many Chinese as well as Korean dishes offered on their menu. The gyozas and other dumplings here are great, this is definitely a Vancouver Izakaya not to be missed and is perhaps the one with the most unique personality.

Gyoza King
1508 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C2
(604) 669-8278
www.jpcanada.com

4. Irashai Grill – This is a great low key Izakaya, if you’re in the mood for a quieter atmosphere, this is the place you should go. I never used to care whether an Izakaya served good sushi or not because I never ordered it. For some reason lately, maybe in a effort to lighten things up, I have been ordering some sushi in combination with the usual favorite fried fare and really appreciating a restaurant that can do both well. The food is beautifully presented and they certainly have a few unique menu items but I have to warn you it is a bit more expensive than the other Izakayas.

Irashai
1368 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4S9
(604) 688-8697
www.irashaigrill.com

5. Guu With Garlic - My second favorite of the Guu clan. I like to eat at this West End Guu location when I’m in the mood for something new with the usual Guu flare. What can I say, there’s just something about this restaurant chain that sets itself a part as a leader in the Vancouver Izakaya scene. Try the pumpkin croquettes, they are truly great.

Kitanoya Guu With Garlic
1698 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7
(604) 685-8678
www.guu-izakaya.com