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
