Jun I specializes in Japanese culinary traditions, emphasizing high-quality seafood and precise preparation techniques. The menu features a wide selection of signature sushi, sashimi, and maki rolls that prioritize fresh ingredients and balanced flavors. Guests encounter diverse textures and aesthetics through carefully plated appetizers and main courses inspired by traditional Asian cooking methods. The minimalist interior design supports an atmosphere focused on the technical delivery of raw fish and seasoned rice. Each dish showcases consistent attention to detail regarding slice thickness, temperature control, and the integration of seasonal garnishes. The establishment remains dedicated to serving authentic flavors while maintaining a standard of technical proficiency that defines contemporary Japanese cuisine. This commitment to culinary accuracy ensures that every plate reflects core regional values within a structured, focused, and efficient environment.
Jun I is widely celebrated as a premier destination for sushi in Montreal, offering an exceptional dining experience marked by fresh, high-quality fish and beautifully presented, flavorful dishes. Many guests praise the omakase menu for its artistry and variety, highlighting the skill of the kitchen in delivering consistently delicious nigiris and creative rolls. The service is frequently described as warm, knowledgeable, and professional, often enhancing the overall atmosphere, which many find perfect for intimate date nights or special celebrations. While some diners mention the premium pricing, the consensus remains that the level of culinary craftsmanship and the vibrant, lively environment make it a highly recommended spot for those seeking an authentic and memorable meal.
We ate here last night & overall enjoyed the entire meal. The kitchen staff is very talented & it is obvious in the output. They generally showed better than the front of house. We decided to order the omakase menu as the best way to try the most dishes & get a sense of the restaurant.
Here is the menu we had last night:
Asari kinoko
Palourdes, jus de palourde, tomates, fenouil, pleurottes royales, huile de poireau.
Clams, clam juice, tomatoes, fennel, king oyster mushrooms, leek oil
A fantastic little starter course served with a small bowl of marinated daikon radishes. The clams were perfectly cooked. It seems a bit weird to eat tomatoes this late in the season.
Hotate crudo
Pétoncles kobujime au gin Ungava, betteraves jaunes, vinaigrette au yuzu, huile de coriandre
Ungava gin kobujime scallops, golden beets, yuzu dressing, cilantro oil
This was my wife's favorite course. I loved it too. The scallops were delicious. The flavors complemented each other well. I felt the cilantro was a bit overbearing in the dish. (& yes, I do like cilantro)
Shiromi
Poisson blanc du jour mariné au shio koji, courge musquée, babaganoush d'aubergines asiatiques, myoga
Shio koji marinated white fish of the day, butternut squash, Asian eggplants babaganoush, myoga
I like this dish quite a bit. But I wish the wait staff had explained all the components rather than just dropping it at the table after saying it was white fish with eggplant. The chef is far more poetic in his wording & it would have enhanced the meal to see the eggplant was an Asian version of babaganoush. Reading it today, I now have a better picture of the dish & that would have added to the experience.
Tako
Pieuvre marinée au sel de Kombu & grillée, radicchio, piments shishito, pommes de terre, choux de Bruxelles, suprêmes d'orange, sauce yaki & ail noir
Kombu salt marinated & grilled octopus, radicchio, shishito peppers, potatoes, brussels sprouts, orange supreme, yaki & black garlic sauce
This is another course where the wait staff could have better explained the dish rather than simply drop at the table with only a few words. Black garlic was never mentioned & it is a key ingredient. It was a fantastic use of Fall ingredients. Bravo to the chef.
Omakase de Junichi San
Assortiment de nigiris, sashimis & makis : 15 mcx / personnel
A very nice selection of beautiful seafood presented well. We added uni & were thankful that our main server explained the difference between the taste & textures of the west coast versus east coast uni (oursin) choices. The tempura roll with a sort of salmon tartare on top was out of this world - the kind of dish I would have eaten a second plate of. The hand roll served alongside was incredible too.
I forget all the components of the dessert. Overall it had a very beautiful fall feel to it. The apples & salted caramels were great. My only complaint would have been to have fewer flavors competing for attention by my palate. I like fewer flavors & allow the ones present to shine more brightly. But I am nitpicking.
PROS: great food, beautiful dining room, good staff.
CONS: I mean this as constructive criticism to the dining room manager. The service does not match the quality level of the food. Service was done a bit too fast with plates being brought the second after we finished one course. I hate being rushed through a tasting menu. I want to savor every flavor & relax. I wish they had printed a copy of the omakase menu & left it at the table if the wait staff is unable to describe all the nuances of the dish when presenting it to us. So many descriptions were left out. I also wish the server would pour less when refilling our glasses - but that is a personal preference.
Flawless, attentive service. Perfect plating, presentation & first-rates, fresh ingredients, including fish not usually available in Montreal. Nice cocktail & wine list (including local cider). Honestly, not much to add. Just a great meal in a lovely venue supported by enthusiastic staff.
Nov 12, 2022
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Jun I had a nice ambiance & the cocktails were very well made! The staff was courteous & understood the menu well enough to make good recommendations while being considerate of the prices.
The appetizers were okay, but the real stars of the show were the maki rolls. The fish was high quality & you can tell they took good care in preparing each piece.
The pace that each course was brought was great & it allowed us enough time enjoy each course without having to rush through it!
Overall, a nice experience & would recommend for a date or for some good quality Japanese cuisine.
i have been here twice, but i brought my father who was visiting from California. he & i have been eating sushi since I was a baby in 1994, & my father has been frequenting Morimoto's in Napa for quality rice & fish.
he said that Jun I had some of the best quality nigiri he's had. our server suggested a gorgeous bottle of saké that my father greatly enjoyed (& me too), & the Quebec uni was amazing. I had been looking for quality uni in the city since October 2020, so it was really lovely to get my hands on such a delicious reunion with the flavor.
thank you very much, we loved our visit & as always i will definitely be back. Jun I is by far the best quality for price, with beautiful treatment of the rice, unique fishes, & wonderful staff.
We came for a girls' date night, the ambience & decor were amazing. We both went for the Omakase menu, the quality of the fish is one of the best we've had in Montreal, even Canada, period. My friend & I have enjoyed sushi in Japan, & the quality of the fish at Jun I is top. Sincere compliments to the chef.
Thank you & to the staff for a wonderful dining experience! I'll be recommending Jun I to friends & family.
We had the omakase & was really underwhelmed by the experience. I have had omakase around the world & this was the first time I've had to share dishes with my dining partner. The portion sizes were small but ok for omakase I guess, but for 2 people to share a tiny 2 oz portion of black cod was both awkward & comical. I rather you charge me a little more & give me a proper dish on my own. Very weird plating choice, especially coming out of a pandemic. I dined here today with my cousin, but if I was taking a client out it would have been really weird to share those tiny dishes. The flavour & actual dishes were pretty good. The whelks with apples had a nice balance of acid & sweet. We really enjoyed the grilled octopus & nori paste. Smokey & full of umami. The black cod was well cooked but really tiny. The dessert was delicious, seasonal strawberry & rhubarb with a nice light sabayon. But the worst part of the meal was the sushi. Really disappointed. Aside from a pretty good tuna roll, everything else was just blah. First of all, I would not expect Maki rolls & creamy stuff on a omakase menu. I was expecting high quality sushi nigiri. Some of the creamy mayo stuff crab & scallop & some fried sushi roll was just gross. The fish was not sliced uniformly. Service was ok, friendly but not very intuitive. I had finished my beer after second course & was going to order more saké. But server didn't ask about another drink until we were halfway done the sushi course, by then I said forget it, not spending more money here. I had high hopes for this place & there were definitely some winners but overall was underwhelming & would not go back or recommend.
