Kazu is described as a busy, intimate Japanese izakaya in Montreal where traditional flavors meet a creative twist, with many dishes prepared right in front of diners at the bar and a lively, authentically Japanese atmosphere. The menu is large and wall postings keep things interesting, and while the space is small and lines can be long, the consensus is that the quality, freshness and value make the wait worthwhile. Dishes like beef short ribs, curry, sashimi, and a variety of small plates are repeatedly praised for depth of flavor and thoughtful preparation, with some items singled out as standout favorites and others noted as less compelling or pricier. The staff are consistently described as fast, friendly and attentive, and the kitchen’s in‑view hustle adds to the appeal, a highlight that keeps guests returning. A common refrain is that Kazu delivers an authentic Japanese dining experience in Montreal, offering a distinctive vibe and dependable, high quality food, even for those willing to queue at opening and endure limited seating.
Their only redeeming quality is their food, otherwise service, atmosphere & seating are garbage.
Con:
-Very hard to be seated if you're an odd-numbered group. They'll straight up just seat someone else before you. We waited easily 1h30+ outside because they absolutely wanted to fill every single seat & had groups of 2 & 4 skip us consistently even if they arrived after us.
-The'daily special' is always some honey leftover cut of meat or fish. SKIP IT.
-Service was existent, but does not deserve more than 10% tip. It's so minimal that the food is what makes up for it.
-The ice cream was very expensive. A small teacup was 5$.
Pro: The tuna & salmon bowl was very tasty. The portions are decent.
The food at Japanese Kazu is really great - fresh, flavorful, & clearly made with care. Everything we tried was excellent, & it definitely lives up to its reputation.
On weekends, be prepared for a long wait, as it gets very busy. The space is quite small, so it's not really suitable for groups larger than 4 people. Smaller groups will have a much better experience.
Overall, if you don't mind waiting & you're coming with a small group, this place is absolutely recommended for quality Japanese food. 🍣✨
This is the most authentic Japanese style restaurant if you will. When K rate 5 start atmosphere don't be misled as if it is luxury, it is authentic & accessible. It is just warm & friendly & a memorable experience? Many places can't hit the food quality & the flavor! Staff are really helpful despite being overly busy! You will have to stay in a lonf line to get there, but it is worth it! There is a reason for that for many years!
Love this little izakaya. Even throughout the pandemic, the quality of their food has never wavered. Solid consistency throughout the years, delivering delicious & even seasonal dishes in a super tiny, warm atmosphere. I've never been to Japan, but I guess this is the closest it'll feel to that here in Montreal.
Go with friends & order a bunch of dishes & just share, that's kind of the point. Prices are beyond reasonable. Staff is also super enthusiastic & helpful. If you're not into waiting outside in line, go at opening time to ensure you get a table or a place at the bar.
5/5 will be back for the 100th time at some point soon, I'm sure.
Surprise. A friend refered restaurant. But the food quality was poor. As'sushi' or'sushi inspired' food, the fish is not fresh. Lots of low cost cabbage shred & low quality rice. I wouldn't call it anything related to sushi or Japanese foods. Long waiting line, but terrible food. Restaurant is typical downtown style, old, crowded, busy, etc. I suggest spend your money somewhere else. The food only looks nice, but taste a like wax, & cost way more than what it should be.
Aug 26, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
One of the best restaurants in Montréal. Amazing food. Great prices for the quality. Great ambiance, feels like you're in Japan. Would recommend a thousand percent!!
Great food, great service & an overall fantastic vibe. Food was high quality & prices were more than reasonable. Staff were friendly & food came very quick. I will definitely be back!
One of the few restaurants that I just keep coming back to. Amazing food, amazing presentation, amazing service. The chef owner & his wife are both so heartwarming & passionate about their work & it really shows in the food they serve!
I remember asking the owner if he ever planned on franchising since the restaurant was getting ever so popular & he said no because he needs to be there to supervise in order to maintain overall quality. Much respect for his work ethic, I hope they keep on flourishing.
Haven't been there for a few years but this is by far my favourite Japanese restaurant in Montreal. Recommend without any hesitation! Prices are fair given extreme quality. Chef is an as! Staff always friendly. Japanese tavern ambience so expect to be seated tight closed to other guests. Amazing experience, always.
Jan 23, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Went on a Saturday & we were there a bit earlier to beat the lineup. My friend & I ordered to share as entrée the scallop sashimi: delicious, simple yet full of flavor, the scallop melts in your mouth. Our second meal was the Salmon bowl salad. It was very good, you could tell by the taste how fresh the salmon is. For the main dish we ordered the grilled tuna steak. Everything on that plate was exquisite. Wrapped it up with the ice cream sake which surprisingly reminded me of home. I had a great experience, they serve quality & authentic food, it is a 10/10 for me.
The food was very tasty & the waitress very kind & helpful. There might be a long line due to the few places available but it's definitely worth it! It's mostly a place where you will want to try multiple meals, as the quantities are not very large. The quality however is definitely there & it's one of the best quality/price ratio in Montreal. As a Frenchmen, I also believe that it's one of the few places where the tips are not expected but earned, & therefore deserved 😄
Always an excellent meal at Kazu! The wait might be long (1 hour last Sunday when arriving at 6:30pm), so plan to go when you aren't starving, but it is so so worth it. The ingredients are such high quality & so fresh, & the prices are very reasonable for the portions. Makes you feel like you entered a family-run izakaya in Japan, where the staff is so friendly. My recommendations would include the toro don with ikura & hotate (people came to us to ask what we ordered because of how good it looks, & the taste matches the appearance! salmon don is also very good) as well as the grilled octopus legs (grilled to perfection). Homemade tofu is very tasty if you are looking for a vegetarian option.
Great food, atmosphere & staff. Really wide selection. I came solo & sat at a bar stool. You could see everyone was really working well together & staff genuinely lovely. Food was just delicious 👌 good quality, fresh Japanese food
Jun 20, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
WELL WORTH THE WAIT Tiny restaurant, huge lines, & for a good reason. The food quality is astounding. Never have I had food this good this fast for this cheap. Main courses under $18 abundant, appetizers under $10, service is crazy fast like a good busy restaurant should be. Get the curry get the bibimbap
A great izakaya with excellent price points. I've come to this place when it was first opened & I am glad to see this place has not only kept up with the quality expanded their operation as well. Between the 2 of us, we ordered 3 entrées, 1 yakitori & shared a dessert & the check came to $67 before tips. Excellent food & value. One girl was rather abrupt with her attitude but everyone else was nice & friendly.
Really fun Izakaya with delicious food. I really loved their chicken curry & the yakitori. The atmosphere was upbeat with very fun decor. The service was super fast. The food is really reasonably priced too, particularly for the high quality. Get there early at opening times as even at 5:04 when they opened at 5:00pm we had to wait in line for a table.
Wife & I go to Kazu whenever we come to Montreal. We agree the food has gone down in quality & quantity (albeit the huge amount of the same salad on every dish) but pricing has gone up.
Kazu seems to be riding the wave. You'd be a fool not to see there's no more genuine interest in the cooking anymore. The place is dirty, the dishes have missing bits & the menu written on yellow papers stamped on the wall doesn't look cute anymore. The waitress said those were not regular items & in some cases, seasonal. Well, if you pay attention, they're pretty much the same.
